


The Return of Starman Part 1

by Sabine M (HowNovel)



Series: The Return of Starman [1]
Category: Starman (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-01-15
Updated: 2006-01-15
Packaged: 2017-11-02 03:02:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 64,852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/364275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HowNovel/pseuds/Sabine%20M
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set in September 2005.</p><p>After reuniting with Jenny, the FSA captures the whole family and Starman gives himself in the hands of the military with the condition to let Jenny and Scott go. After an unsuccessful rescue attempt his family is told that Starman had died. He is moved to a secret research center and stays there for the next 19 years without his family knowing of his existence. To keep the number of persons knowing of him as small as possible, George Fox becomes the leader of the research center. Then, almost two decades later, the government finds out that Jenny has written a book about her alien lover lately. Starman’s condition isn’t good after being kept in isolation all these years. George’s last duty before he retires is to make Jenny pull the book. Circumstances lead to the point that he takes Starman with him when he goes to see Jenny about the book. Ben steals the spheres from the safe, knowing this trip is Paul’s only chance to escape.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Return of Starman Part 1

20 YEARS AFTER -  
THE RETURN OF  
STARMAN

_"The Return of Starman" is an amateur non-profit publication for the enjoyment of STARMAN fans and is not meant to infringe upon copyrights held by Henerson-Hirsch, Michael Douglas productions, Columbia Pictures Television or ABC-TV._

_This story was edited by Zena._

_© 2006 by Sabine M._

###    
**Chapter 1**  


After the alien’s escaped from Peagrum Air Force base, Fox asked for and received more men to locate the extraterrestrial and It’s son. It was only a matter of time until he found It again. Two months had passed since then. It was summer of 1987, and Fox was certain he would capture his alien today. For some days, one of his new agents reported the two fugitives were seen traveling with a woman. George reasoned Forrester had found Jenny Hayden and she was with them now. 

Jenny’s time with Paul and Scott was short, just a few days. They all noticed too late that the ring had closed around them. Fox and his agents surprised them, breaking into their Los Angeles apartment. There was no time to escape. The man and the boy were quickly restrained. Jenny saw she could do nothing to help. Fox brought the three fugitives back to Arizona to Building 11. There, numerous physicians and scientists waited for the extraterrestrial and It’s son’s arrival. The first few days in the lab were cruel and filled with pain. Although the boy was only a fourteen year old teenager, he received the same treatment as the father. Thankfully, they left Jenny Hayden alone after a short examination and interrogation. She continuously begged for the lives of her loved ones, but Fox and the two generals, Wade and Eliot, ignored her. They had to find out everything about the space visitor.

The days slid by, until they blended into an endless blur. Further investigations of the alien and the boy revealed nothing outstanding. They were completely normal, except for a slightly elevated energy field compared to other humans. Scott suffered psychologically the most from the situation. When he saw the technicians come with more equipment into his room, he begged them to leave him in peace. They would have relented, but general Wade demanded further examinations. 

After the first preliminary tests, generals Wade and Eliot wanted to talk to Forrester. They saw he was exhausted and appeared to be a broken man. Paul told them he would refuse to cooperate, if they would not spare his son and his mother. The generals sent Fox to talk to the alien, and when the agent came out the room, he informed them Forrester had proposed a deal. He would fully cooperate, if they released Scott and Jenny. At first the generals were against the idea and considered it absurd. They had spent fifteen years and thousands of dollars only to find the alien had a human body, an elevated energy reading and carried a strange silver ball with him. Nothing was all that unusual about him. They still resisted, until the doctors announced with concern that the alien’s life signs were continually decreasing, and if something wasn’t done to stop it soon, Forrester would die. The generals debated again and consented. Fox spoke with Forrester, who was bound by leather belts around his arms and legs to an examination table, staring blankly at the ceiling, as if he would see somebody there. Only after George Fox told him the generals agreed to his demands, did he look into Fox’s eyes.

Meanwhile the generals, physicians and scientists discussed the deal. They all agreed the woman was harmless. The generals weren’t sure about the son. Although the scientists couldn’t find anything abnormally strange about him, other than the elevated energy level he shared with his father, he was by all standards just a young man entering adulthood. They ultimately decided to release him and his mother, but keep them under observation. Additionally, in order to prevent further transmission of the extraterrestrial genes to future generations, they decided the boy had be sterilized. The generals let Jenny and Scott enter into the discussion and presented their terms of release. Scott was shocked at the price they demanded he pay for his freedom and strongly protested. Jenny protested in the beginning too, but she recognized this was her last straw. For her, the only thing that counted was her son’s life and at the end she didn’t object to their conditions any longer. The teen resisted with all his strength when the physicians removed him for the vasectomy. His loud cries could be heard throughout the building until they put him to sleep for the operation.

The next morning the final arrangements were made and Scott and Jenny were allowed to see Paul a last time. He had been told that they had sterilized his son. He was deeply saddened by the news, but he would have been sadder, if Scott had to suffer more in this laboratory. Why did the military fear him and his son so much? 

The two were taken to a room where he was held and had a few minutes to say goodbye in private. The instant Jenny saw her Starman she started crying and rushed to embrace and kiss him as he stood up. Gently she rested her head on his shoulder and he embraced her softly. 

“It seems we say good-bye to each other all the time,” he gently spoke to her.

She looked up to him, tears began to roll freely down her cheeks. “Not this time. I won’t leave you!” 

“You must. We don’t have another choice. Don’t make it harder for us than it already is,” Paul quietly said and rested his chin on her soft silky head, feeling the hard lump in his throat. She was certain Paul would be studied to his death, but he didn’t seem to care. Jenny didn’t want to say anything about the issue because of Scott, but he probably knew the bitter truth.

“But how can I leave knowing they’re keeping you here and continue to do these cruel experiments to you?” she asked and lifted her head to look into his deeply sad blue eyes. 

“I don’t care as long I know you and Scott are free. You two are my life and I want you to stay free. They might release me one day and then we can be together as we always wanted!” Paul tried to encourage her, although it was hard for him. “Now ... Jenny .... Kiss me one last time. Show me again how humans say good-bye to each other!” 

The woman was overwhelmed by his calmness and the sudden memory she had of his last words. Holding Jenny’s face with two hands Paul kissed her a last time. Tenderly, but also full of love for her. She sobbed so much, that the two couldn’t really enjoy the kiss the way they wanted to, so he kissed her on her forehead at last and swallowed an emotional breakdown. 

“Dad?” Scott choked and moved in to hug his father, tears running down his own face. Paul looked at the product of his and Jenny’s love he met only one year ago. He tried to soften the painful sting of good-bye, although he had trouble keeping his inner strength. 

“Remember what I’ve taught you. Be there for your mother and support her,” Paul told him.

“I will,” Scott croaked and nodded. 

“Who knows? They might let me go.”

“You don’t really believe that, do you?” he challenged.

“One can always hope,” Paul replied, but the truth in his eyes betrayed his words. “Hope is all I have left. As long as I do have it and know you two are well, I’ll hold onto it and believe as long as I can.”

Fox watched the emotional display from behind the one-way mirror. _“Hope all you want Forrester. You’re never leaving here!”_ He signaled to his partner, Benjamin Wylie, to go and get the woman and the boy. Their time was up. 

The door opened and Agent Wylie stood in the entrance. “Let’s go,” he said.

His words were powerful and the two knew they had to leave in the next few seconds. They separated reluctantly and it was Paul’s turn to hug his son for the last time. As he did with Jenny, he kissed him on the forehead and tousled his thick black hair to lighten the situation. He tried to comfort him, but his eyes told Scott another story. Paul used all of his mental power not to show him his true feelings at this moment, otherwise he would have broken apart. 

“Let’s go!” Wylie demanded again. 

The two reluctantly backed toward the door, never taking their eyes off him, treasuring these last few seconds with his image and burning it deeply into their memory. 

“I’ll always love you, Paul,” she silently said to him before she turned. Scott just watched the scene and couldn’t believe that this was the end. He wanted to run into his dad’s arms, but Wylie saw it and held him back, pushing him out of the room. The door closed and it was over. Ben escorted the sobbing boy and his heartbroken mother to their car. As soon she cleared the base’s main gate, she stepped on the gas, her car’s tires leaving solid black ribbons on the surface of the road in her haste to put as much distance between her and this hell hole called Peagrum. After Jenny had driven two days and nights with her son and felt she was no longer being followed, she called Fox as it was agreed upon. The agent passed the telephone to Forrester and she spoke to her beloved alien once more. “I think we’re safe now. I love you, Paul. ... There is so much I wanted to tell you, but now....” She wanted to have more conversation with him, but her voice broke. Jenny suddenly had a strange feeling, that these were the last words she’d have with her alien lover. Tears welled in Forrester’s eyes at her words, and there was a heavy knot in his throat again, but he was glad the generals kept their word. He forced himself to answer her. “I love you too .... Jenny Hayden. Tell Scott ... I love him .... I love you both.” His hand trembled as he held the receiver and his strength faded. He wanted to talk to his son too, but before he found new power to speak, Fox grabbed the phone. “That’s enough,” he said annoyed to Paul. He continued to speak with Jenny. “He knows now you two are fine. You’d better stay out of sight, Ma’am, or our contract is over the minute you try something fishy. Forrester is ours now! Don’t forget that!” With that warning, he hung up.

As he agreed, Paul told them everything they wanted to know: where he came from, why he returned, what he could and could not do with the sphere. The two spheres Fox confiscated from Paul and Scott were examined in detail for weeks, but even so, the scientists barely knew more about the orbs now than they did before. Paul told them they were made from material found on his planet, and his spaceship was constructed of the same elements. He described the spheres as “collectors of cosmic energy”, which he controlled with his will. It seemed like magic to us humans. Some scientists tried to use the sphere with the instructions he had given them, but as Paul assumed, nothing happened. He told them a certain energy flow from the user would be necessary to activate the sphere.

After some weeks, another research group was founded to study the extraterrestrial. A scientist and a female physician, Christina Larson, formed the core of the group. General Wade in Washington gave them carte blanche. They were instructed to find out how the alien developed and how they could use his abilities. Fox had returned to Washington and finally began a well-deserved vacation, when general Wade contacted him and offered him leadership of the research group, because he had the most experience with the extraterrestrial. From now on, he determined the alien’s future. 

The air base was not the best place to keep the alien on a long-term basis and they had Forrester moved to a new research lab hastily built just for studying It. At first glance, it looked like a large and spacious, but secure property, complete with a garden. Only the high concrete wall with high-voltage electric wiring on top hinted it was not as peaceful as it looked. Paul’s female physician insisted on treating Forrester more like a human than a thing. He was under constant observation, but in the course of time she developed a kind of trust with Forrester. When she presented her suggestions to Fox for a tiny favor or request on Paul’s behalf, Fox mostly granted them. 

George could hardly believe it himself. The more he talked with Paul Forrester, the more he understood his motives. He even came to believe the alien when It said it didn’t kill the original photographer, but only cloned his body after his unfortunate death. Christina had further proof of Forrester’s claim. Dental x-rays from the original Forrester and this one did not match. This one had perfect teeth with no fillings. Nevertheless, this man was an exact copy of the other one. 

Three months later a break-in attempt was made on the laboratory. The guard at the main gate noticed damage to the fence and released the dogs to capture the intruders. The canines found their subjects quickly and barked at them, keeping them at bay. It turned out the intruders were none other than Jennifer Hayden and her brother, Wayne Geffner. They were promptly arrested and taken to a holding cell. Christina reached them first and spoke with them. She learned Jenny somehow found out Paul was still alive and had been moved here. She and Wayne decided to make a valiant attempt to free Forrester, but obviously failed. When Fox was awakened and heard the news, he was livid Mrs. Hayden hadn’t kept her end of the agreement. He planned to press charges against the woman and her brother, but Christina made a suggestion in private she assured would quell any further break-in attempts. She asked the agent to stay out of sight while she went to give Jenny and Wayne the bad news of Forrester’s death. She felt uncomfortable lying to them, but if it would prevent another attempt to free the alien, so be it.

“No! It’s not true. He’s alive! I know he is!” Jenny bellowed. 

Christina repeated her claim and presented the woman with a few personal possessions she’d retrieved from Forrester and the most chilling evidence of all: a 4 x 6 black and white photograph of Paul lying prone on a stainless steel examination table. Only she knew the picture showed Paul merely asleep and not dead. Would the woman believe it? Jenny was devastated as Christina hoped she would be. She convinced Mrs. Hayden no charges would be brought against her if she left now with her brother. They agreed and were released. Paul heard later of Jenny’s rescue attempt and also what was told to her and Wayne. He wanted so much to live a life with her, but he could only hold his part of the agreement, as long as the others kept theirs. 

After the break-in incident, things gradually calmed down. Jenny tried to be the mother Scott always wanted to have, but reminders of Paul’s missing presence clouded the picture. They lived for several years in Wisconsin, where Jenny first met and married her first husband, until Scott entered college. Even though Jenny had seen proof of Paul’s death, she still hoped in secret that her Starman was still alive in spirit, if not in body, and would return to her again. Why not? He had done it once before. But would he want to return at all? If he did, how long would it take? Jenny didn’t care. She would wait and hope for her Starman to come back.

The years did not pass peacefully for Scott. Recurring nightmares of his treatment at Peagrum still haunted him, but life had to go on. Twenty-two years old now, he fell deeply in love with a college classmate. For the first time in his life he found something like peace and satisfaction. Her name was Elisabeth. She loved him and loved life. She was not aware of Scott’s true identity. He never told her. Jenny felt the girl was a perfect match to her son and welcomed her with open arms. Elizabeth and Scott discussed getting engaged when she noticed she was pregnant. Scott was surprised that he could be the father of this child when that ability had been cruelly taken from him. Or was it? In rare cases the operation was a failure. Nevertheless, the joy superceded this doubt over the growing child. Only Elizabeth knew there could be another potential father. She had been introduced to Jason and started an affair with him while Scott worked in the supermarket. She contacted Jason secretly and informed him he could be the father of her child. After the child was born, Scott asked for her hand in marriage. She shamefully confessed her unfaithfulness to him. He demanded a paternity test and prayed that tiny Heather was indeed his daughter, but the results showed she wasn’t. Jason was the father and he promptly refused to surrender his rights to Scott. Scott still wanted to marry Elisabeth, but after some time, she decided it would be better for Heather if there was only one father in the little girl’s upbringing. With a heavy heart she broke off her engagement with Scott, and shortly after Jason asked for her hand in marriage. Scott’s heart was broken. He consequently quit college, despite being close to earning his bachelor’s degree in science. Talking it over with his mother, they decided to move and start over again. Jenny learned from some friends of a horse breeder in California who had increased the size of his herd and was looking for hired help managing and training the horses. They even had a house for rent on the property. So Scott became a hired hand and Jenny assisted with lighter stable work. Since she could ride well, Richard Hayward, the stable owner, agreed to let her work with the riding students under his supervision. Richard was in his late forties and a recent widower with two adult sons. Neither of them however, inherited his passions for horses. When the younger of the two sons married and moved away, Scott took over his work completely. Richard was not the usual ‘train with fear and pain’ horse breeder. He used a different, kinder, gentler approach to training his horses, inspired by horse whisperer, Monty Roberts. This man, Roberts, started horses by ‘talking’ to them in their language, using his body and hands to communicate with them, not tying them up with ropes and beating them into submission. Scott was pleased and eager to learn Monty’s methods.

Every second of Paul’s life was regulated. That’s not to say he was badly treated, but he missed Scott and his mother terribly. He talked each day with Christina and Ray, a science staff member. They expected his co-operation answering questions for NASA and similar organizations and he gave it to them readily without resistance. He also underwent routine medical exams, but it was the only thing they demanded of him on a regular basis. In time he learned from Christina, Fox’s partner, Wylie, was assigned the task of observing his son and Jenny. He did not speak often with Ben, but when he did, Paul felt the agent harbored a friendly attitude toward him. Wylie admitted he drove once a month to ‘see’ Scott and Jenny, watching them and writing reports on them for Fox. Paul asked if he could read the reports, but of course it was denied as he expected. Ben assured him Scott and Jenny were well. Paul was glad to hear the news, but still felt sad he could not join them.

Fox came to visit Forrester often in his prison, mostly just for conversation. Everyone came to call the apartment a prison. It had it’s own garden and was heavily secured. Paul could go into the garden for fresh air. Ordinary prisoners in the judicial system would envy him this luxury, but it was still a golden cage. He was allowed to decorate his garden with small flowerpots. Under his care the flowers produced amazing results. It was one of very few joys in his solitary life. 

The more Fox spoke to him, the more Fox got the impression that Forrester was changing him. It appeared so human on the one hand, but on the other, it wasn’t acting human at all. Christina, Ray, Ben, even the cleaning lady and the cook, who worked for the research institute, regarded Paul after a certain while as a friend. They all knew about his origin, but those who had little contact with him, found it strange, that this seemingly harmless creature, no matter where it came from, was forced to live here until it’s death. Fox frequently wondered if he should follow the others opinions and let it go. Although they had abused it in the beginning, Forrester never showed signs of retaliation. He also showed no ambitions to break out. One day the security guard discovered the electronic lock to Forrester’s prison was completely useless, because Paul could open it with a touch of his finger. Alarmed, Fox insisted a chain be mounted on the door. It could not open these. But he was also puzzled. Why didn’t the alien try to escape when it had the ability to do so? 

Imprisoning Paul Forrester cost more than a million dollars per year and Washington wanted It’s knowledge used for much more. NASA was contacted and a select few people were informed of a ‘special guest’ locked away in captivity. Project manager, Jerry Wasicek was introduced to Fox. Jerry was in charge of the Mars probe, scheduled to land on the red planet in the year 2004. At first he was reluctant to believe the military had a live ET, especially one that looked as completely human as Paul did. He soon was inclined to believe Fox’s claims when Forrester relayed planetary knowledge unknown by even the world’s most acclaimed astronomers and astrophysicists. Jerry soon visited Paul often, asking for his advice, and Forrester was pleased to assist him. Because of Paul’s knowledge, ‘Mars Odyssey 2001’ reached the fourth planet and landed there safely. The ‘Mars express’ mission, started from the European space organization ESA June 2nd, 2003, made a likewise touchdown, but the Beagle 2 robot developed serious malfunctions soon after. 

The chain lock was still on Paul’s prison, but over the years Fox had built up a certain relationship with his ‘guest’. Much had changed. In 1989 the Iron Curtain fell. The 1990's brought prosperity into the economy. The whole world changed however, when on September 11th, 2001, two airplanes were hijacked and steered into the World Trade Center in New York City. A third plane crashed into the Pentagon, and a fourth plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania, killing everyone aboard. Fox was glad he was at the research center that day. Jerry was there too, consulting with Forrester, which was the best place for the Mars probe to land. 

It was now September 2005, eighteen years since Forrester began his imprisonment. Caught when he was 40 years of age, Paul was now 58. His body was physically fit and he still had the firm looks of a man much younger in age. Fox was jealous because Forrester still looked so good, while George’s hair had turned white and thinned out on top to the point of being nearly bald.

Fox observed the alien on the monitor at his desk. Currently, Christina was with him and he smiled at her. He could tell she was taken in by him whenever he smiled at her. It was a cause for concern for Fox. The alien had way of charming her around. This happened less often of late. Christina informed him Paul was lying more and more often in bed, staring blankly at the two pictures of Jenny and Scott, Ben had given him as a gift marking Forrester’s 50th birthday. The photos weren’t very good. The faces were small, but they were the only pictures he had of his loved ones.

George looked away from the screen and at the letter he had just opened. It said he had reached mandatory retirement age and a successor was being assigned to replace him. The new man would visit him soon and of course meet Forrester.

###    
**Chapter 2**  


It was 9:45 PM and Paul lay in his bed, staring through the large sliding glass door into the garden. He felt so terribly tired. Since Christina had given him medication for his diagnosed depression, he simply could not fall asleep. In the darkness of his room he tried to force himself to sleep, but he could not do it. Christina told him restlessness was a possible side effect of the pills. _Then why did she give me the tablets, knowing they might keep me awake?_ Tonight it was the same. He spent hour upon hour tossing and turning in bed. He decided to get up. Outside, a hot tub steamed in the cool night. It was a gift Jerry had given him for his help with the Mars probe. A glance at the clock in his room told him he still had fifteen minutes before he was forbidden to go outside, otherwise the alarm would ring and the guards would come. If he had bad luck, they would get Fox or Christina. She was on night duty today. If worse came to worse, both of them would come and he would be forced to listen to another lecture about following the rules. He vividly remembered the night he relaxed in the Jacuzzi, enjoying the whirling jets easing the tension in his muscles after spending all afternoon in his garden. The hot water felt so good. He let his mind wander and forgot about the time. The alarm went off and Fox came storming down, spewing angry words at him. The agent even threatened to take away the tub if it happened again. Paul didn’t care anymore if Fox did remove the spa. He went for a dip. The water felt marvelous, but smelled a little of chlorine. He pressed a button and the jets began to gush forth, pushing powerful streams of bubbling water against various parts of his body. He closed his eyes. He wanted nothing more at this moment than to fall asleep and never wake up again. He wasn’t allowed to live a normal life, but he wasn’t allowed to die either. Until two years ago, he worked with Jerry, but now he was only kept for exhibition purposes, at least he felt this way. The only reason he clung to life was to not endanger Scott’s liberty. He was sure they would get his son sooner or later after his death. The thought of Scott in this golden cage was too much to bear. He opened his eyes again. The night was calm and the only light on the property came from Fox’s apartment and the guard’s quarters. He looked up from the ugliness of the concrete wall to the beauty of the sparkling stars in the sky. It didn’t take Paul long to find his home star; Algieba, in the constellation of Leo the lion. Algieba. Home. So far away. Could he ever return there? Right now, probably not. If he were to die here, not only would this body die, but so would the energy essence that occupied the body. Paul was ready to die. He no longer wanted to be the military’s premiere pet. If he could not return to his son and Jenny, then he decided he would rather be dead. _“I can’t go on anymore!”_

Suddenly he heard someone coming from the patio door and walking hastily toward him. He looked to see who it was this time. It was Christina Wylie. She had married Fox’s partner some years ago. She was quite beautiful with her light blue eyes and shoulder length blond hair. She didn’t look at all like a typical doctor and he envied Ben Wylie for her. He liked Christina, as she was his pillar for emotional support as well as his personal physician. From her quick pace, he concluded he had forgotten the time restriction again. He was a little afraid of her right now as she stormed up to him.

“Paul!“ she reminded him in a stern voice. “What are you doing out here? It’s after 10 o’clock. You know you are not allowed outside after ten. The alarm went off again. Do you think they don’t notice if you take a bath this late?“ she lectured. 

“I couldn’t sleep,“ he sheepishly answered. 

His explanation, sorrowful look in his eyes, and the apologetic tone of his voice swept away any further scolding tones in her voice. 

“Again?“ she asked softly.

“Yes. I think it’s from the pills you gave me. I won’t take them any longer.“ 

“You must take it. You’ll feel much better.“ 

“I can’t sleep when I take them,“ he argued. 

“Paul, come on. Get out of there,” she said with angelic patience. “Come back inside and I’ll give you something to help you sleep. Tomorrow is an important day for you.“ 

“What’s happening tomorrow?“ 

“Fox told you he’s retiring in three weeks. Tomorrow his successor, Dr. Mortimer, is coming for a visit and he would like to meet you.“ 

“Oh, yes.“ His facial expression turned sad as he remembered George surprising him with the news.

“Come. Now!“ she said.

He rose slowly from the hot bath and stepped out. She held a large towel out for him. He took it and promptly wrapped himself in it. The air was cold and one could easily catch a chill if they stood here too long. 

While Paul went into the bathroom to dry off and change into his night cloths, Christina went to her office to get a sleeping drug. She informed Fox of the reason the alarm sounded. George was annoyed as she expected he would be, but calmed down when she told him why Paul violated the rules. 

“Again?” he asked with concern this time.

“Yes.”

“What are you doing about it?”

“I’m going to give him a tranquilizer injection right now. It’ll knock him out until morning,” she assured Fox. 

He agreed and hung up the telephone.

Paul emerged from the bathroom dressed in pajamas, consisting of an undershirt and shorts. He climbed back into bed and waited for Christina. She came moments later and sat on the edge of his bed. 

She pulled out a loaded syringe and rubber strip to tie around his arm. He saw the hypodermic needle and resisted. “I don’t want that. Please don’t.“ 

“It’s just a small dose. It’ll calm you down so you can sleep. You need rest. I’ve been concerned about you these last few days, Paul,“ she said and tied the band around his arm to distend a vein. She pulled out a packet containing an alcohol swab and proceeded to wipe a small area over the crook of his elbow. 

Paul decided it was best to cooperate and not resist. If he did, she would call for an assistant to help her and he’d lose the struggle. 

She took the safety cap off the needle with her teeth and promptly inserted the needle into his vein. She released the rubber band and injected the contents of the syringe. He flinched when it penetrated his skin and she gave him a reassuring smile. She pulled the needle out and put the swab over the entry point, holding it there with her thumb. At last she took his wrist and bent his arm. 

“Hold it like that for a couple more seconds,” she said while she capped the syringe again and placed it in a disposal bag she brought with her. Christina stood and straightened his arm, rubbing the swab once more over the entry point and then placed it in the bag with the used syringe. 

“You should begin to feel it working soon,” she said and proceeded to cover him with the blanket. 

“I don’t want the shots anymore. It hurts. And I don’t want to take those pills anymore either!” 

“Now stop it! That wasn’t so bad. I’m here to help you. You sleep now, okay?“ 

The medicine was beginning to take effect. Paul could hardly keep his eyes open. “I don’t want to take those drugs anymore. I don’t want ....” He never finished the sentence. The drug was doing its job.

The woman sat on the edge of the bed again and looked at Forrester as he slept. She’d known him for eighteen years now, but this year was different then the previous seventeen. This year he reached a point, which pulled him more and more into a dark abyss. Nothing interested him anymore; not the wooden flute he used to enjoy playing, or the paint set she gave him for Christmas thirteen years ago with which he used to paint pictures of his homeworld and other worlds he’d visited. The TV provided no pleasure. Everything on the screen reminded him either of places he could not go or things he could not do because he was a prisoner in this cage. It was almost the same with music. Songs with lyrics of lost loves, broken hearts and unending loves reminded him of losing Jenny and Scott. Even his garden was being neglected. It was a shadow of its former beauty. He only talked when asked something and his appetite had vanished. She observed him on the monitor often staring blankly at nothing. It was a classic case of severe depression and she treated it with amphetamines, but the side effects caused another problem. It was a paradox. Give him one drug to excite and perk him up, and another to calm him down. The body was fighting against itself. She couldn’t do this to him indefinitely. Something was bound to happen, but she didn’t know how to help him. The medicines could not erase the reason of his depression. Only one thing could bring him out of it and it was beyond his and her reach. 

“You poor thing! I wish I could help you somehow,“ she spoke to herself and went out of the room, turning out the light as she left.

 

The next day was Monday. It started like every Monday did, with a meeting in the conference room with the personnel closest to Forrester. Everyone was seated when Ben Wylie rushed in last carrying a book under his arm. He took his seat next to Christina, his wife of twelve years, and greeted her with a quick kiss on her cheek, then greeted the others.

“What’s that you have?“ she asked her husband, curious to know. 

“I’ll show you later,“ he said and put the book under some photos. 

“So, how was California?“ Fox asked, impatient as always. 

“The same,” Ben said. “Nothing special to report with Mrs. Hayden or Scott.”

Fox noticed however, a hint in his eyes that told him something had happened, but he would discuss it later. He let it slide. 

“Now ladies and gentlemen, as I’ve already told you, I am retiring in three weeks. This afternoon my successor is coming here to meet all of you and Forrester. I don’t know Doctor Mortimer yet, but I hope you will get along with him as well as I have with you.“ 

“I would like to speak about Paul’s medical condition again,” Christina said. “It’s his depression. This is the most severe I’ve ever seen it.” 

“Yes, I know,“ answered Fox. “The pills aren’t helping?“ 

“No, not at all,” she replied with a shake of her head. “In fact, he’s suffering from the side effects of the medicine, mainly insomnia. I’m treating him with a tranquilizer for that, but we can’t keep pumping him full of uppers every morning and downers every night. It’ll mess up his body chemistry. Hell, it’s already doing that. Each day he slides more and more into his depression, despite the drugs. I am getting really worried.”

“Is it that bad?“ 

“Yes! Besides, the drugs only mask the symptoms of his illness, not the cause. Everybody here at the table knows it, sir! The problem is he has nothing to do. He sees no purpose in living. Every one of us would feel the same in his shoes.“ 

“How has he beared the last eighteen years here?“ Ray Mancuso, the lead scientist of the group, asked. Actually, he no longer had much to do with Forrester anymore and came only occasionally because funds from Washington had been cut along with every other government project. 

Christina looked at the man annoyed by his insensitivity, as he was just now. “There comes a time when a person simply gives up. Some years ago, Jerry Wasicek used to visit him almost daily. He was busy. Since the Mars project’s end, Jerry doesn’t come anymore, so Paul lives more or less day-to-day now. He’s a highly intelligent being. He needs involvement in something. We don’t do him any good if we don’t allow him to be part of this world.“ 

“We can’t release him,” Fox said. “I can’t force NASA to let him work for them, but what’s a solution for the problem?“ 

It was his responsibility to care for every need of the alien. This also included his psychological well-being. 

Christina sank into her chair. “I can only say that he is in a very unstable condition, and if we don’t do something soon, his condition will deteriorate until one day when he will simply give up completely, as he did in Peagrum, before I started working with him.”

“I remember,“ George said. “He can do that somehow. How he does it, I haven’t figured out, but I do know he can do it. That’s why we agreed to his deal. It’s kept him going until today. I believe if we hadn’t agreed, he’d be six feet under eighteen years ago.“

George leaned back in his chair. “Options people. Give me another option.”

“I may have one,” Ben piped up.

All eyes focused on the soft-spoken agent. 

“Okay. Let’s hear it,” Fox said.

“Couldn’t we inform his family? I’m sure it would cheer him up if they contact him. We could grant him visitation rights,“ the man simply said. 

Fox snorted. “There’s two things wrong with that idea. One: They think he’s dead. Two: Mrs. Hayden and Scott would never come here. I wouldn’t risk it in their shoes.”

Ben was prepared to argue his case and continued, “So we tell them he’s still alive. We never should have lied to Mrs. Hayden in the first place,” he said and looked at his wife with accusing eyes. “If we had told her and Mr. Geffner the truth then, and allowed them to see Forrester on a regular basis, then we wouldn’t be facing the crisis we’re facing now: losing him permanently. Having Jenny and Scott visit him would lift his spirits immeasurably.”

Fox thought about it, then shrugged. “But if we tell them he’s alive, they’ll want him back, and we can’t give him back. I know they would try to free him again like they did the last time.”

“Not if Paul asks them not to. He can convince them to respect the agreement. It’s a win-win situation. They get to see him and vice versa.”

“If his condition doesn’t improve, I’ll think about it before I hand everything over to my successor. Is there anything else?”

“You may have to think about it sooner,” Ben said and pushed the book he’d brought in with him in Fox’s direction. George took it into his hands and looked at it for several seconds. He started laughing. 

“I don’t believe it! Only she could come up with this!“ 

The others didn’t know if Fox was angry or amused. George passed the book to Christina. She read the title: The Man From Another Star. On the cover was a painting of a man who looked remarkably like Paul. In his lap sat a small boy and both were staring at a glowing silver ball in the boy’s hands. She looked at the jacket for the author. It was Jenny Hayden. Christina turned the cover and saw the photo of Jenny. She read the summary underneath and wasn’t yet finished when Ray pulled the book from her hands.

“Who is she?“ he asked. 

“She’s the woman with whom Paul had a son,” she replied, annoyed at his rudeness. “You do know that, don’t you?“ 

“Oh yes, yes. I remember!“ he said and put the book back on the table. 

Ben explained where he found the novel. “It was in a book shop window I pass on my way home.” 

Fox shook his head. “I don’t get it! Why would she do this? I’ll have to order her to pull it of course.” He looked closer at the cover. “She did a perfect likeness of Forrester, didn’t she?” 

Ben went on to tell them, “It’s about the time Forrester returned to find his son and his son’s mother. You and I appear in it, Mr. Fox. However, it’s a children book. It’s very simply written, but they’re beautiful stories.“ 

George flipped through the pictures. “Like it was at that time! Exactly as is was! Scott must have helped her. She couldn’t have gotten all this information on her own. When the boys in Washington see this, they’re going to have kittens. Sometimes Forrester made real fools of us.”

 

After the meeting, Christina went into her office to write her daily medical report on Paul. Ben followed her and sat down in the visitor’s chair beside her desk. 

“Are you driving home now? Doctor Mortimer is coming this afternoon,“ she casually reminded him. 

“Yes.“ 

She began typing her report. Ben watched the monitor, which was trained on Forrester. The picture on the screen was the same as it had been for the last few days. Paul was laying in bed with his arms behind his head, staring at the two photographs of Scott and Jenny. 

“He doesn’t have the slightest chance of getting out of here. It’s inhuman, what we do to him!“ 

“We’re not inhuman to him!” she countered. “He’s cared for very well.”

“If he’s so well cared for, then why does he look like a living corpse?” he hotly replied.

“He’s an extraterrestrial being. The only one the military has. You know how valuable he is. We can’t release him,” she answered, avoiding the real issue.

“I don’t understand you. You’re closer to him than any of us, but you can’t see what he really needs. He’s not like our son’s pet guinea pigs, which are satisfied with the food we give them and the attention they get when John plays with them. But even those are kept in pairs! He needs a woman. He needs his family.”

“Do you think I’m blind, that I don’t have eyes? I do. I can see that all he wants and thinks about is being with them.”

“Eighteen years of solitary confinement,” Ben went on. “I couldn’t bear that. Everyone believes he wants for nothing, but it isn’t true. How does he take it?”

“Actually, his depression aside, Paul’s health is good,” she said, trying to concentrate on typing her report.

“Good!” Ben exploded. “Look at him, Christina! Just look!“ he said and pointed to the monitor. “He’s given up. He’s only alive because he knows they’re free. And we taunt him with that. It’s perverse!”

“Don’t yell at me! You and George are to blame for this, you know. If you two would have left him alone, he wouldn’t be here now,” she said, laying the fault squarely on his feet.

The accusation stung him, but worst of all it was true. 

“And you should never have suggested we tell them he’s dead!” he fired back, uncomfortable with her leaving the sin on him. The arguments were old ones.

“Look at us, Ben,” she said, stepping back to think. “Why are we fighting like this? It seems to me we both want the same thing, don’t we? What’s best for Paul?”

The agent took a deep breath. “You’re right,” he said in a much calmer tone.

The blame game had gone full circle once again. What neither party failed to recognize was that action was required now, not endless discussion of the dilemma.

“The problem is, Ben, the best cure for him would be releasing him, letting him go, but Washington will never allow that. First, he isn’t at all prepared for the world, and second, he is much too valuable. I think this is the real reason why the general still keeps this project going. I mean, Ben, think about it. This being, even if he is human, is still an extraterrestrial. What if something happens to him if we simply would let him go?”

Both looked at each other and Ben thought about her words. Then he looked again at the monitor and the subject of their conversation. 

“Look at him,” Ben said. “I hate to see him like that.”

“I hate it too. I’ll make you a proposal: Why don’t we ask the general to inform Mrs. Hayden and Scott he’s alive? I can’t promise anything, but it’s worth a try.” 

Ben looked more thoughtfully at his wife. “Yes, do that. It’s all we can do to help,” he said and stood up. “I’ll see you this afternoon.”

 

When Ben returned to the research center, he recognized a strange car in the parking lot. _“That must be Dr. Mortimer’s,”_ he thought. He parked his car and hurried into the facility’s main building. The guard at the entrance informed him he was expected in the conference room. The door was open and he heard someone speaking inside. As he entered, the speaker grew silent. Everyone looked at him. 

”I’m sorry, I’m late,“ he apologized. 

“Not at all,” the new man said. “I came too early. Hello, My name is Michael Mortimer. Doctor Michael Mortimer. You must be Benjamin Wylie.”

“Yes.” 

Ben glanced him over, offering his hand for a greeting. The man was very tall and very slim. He guessed Dr. Mortimer’s age somewhere in his middle forties, but he already had a lot of graying hair, cut very short. He wore a white lab coat and carried a stethoscope draped around his neck. Christina stood beside Mortimer, also dressed in her lab whites, and Ben got the feeling he’d interrupted a visit. He was surprised by the man’s attire. The doctor seemed to sense his thoughts.

“The military selected me in order to have around the clock medical personnel available. I guess I have two jobs at once.”

“Cost cutting personnel?” Ben asked.

“Yes.....Can we see the creature now?“ Dr. Mortimer asked plainly. 

Ben and his wife stared at the doctor, shocked by the man’s designation for Forrester. George Fox was also stunned by Mortimer’s choice of terms.

“Sir, you have been informed about Forrester, haven’t you?“ 

“Yes of course, Mr. Fox.“ 

“He looks human you know?“ 

“Yes, the report said he was a cloned body.“ 

“Yes, he is,” George said, a bit irritated by Mortimer. 

“Interesting. I’m anxious to see the clone.“ 

Again, Fox was surprised by the man’s strange reference to Paul, but he let it go.

The four of them entered the alien’s room. He still lay on his bed, gazing at the two pictures of Jenny and Scott. He appeared as if he were in a trance, not reacting at all to their approach.

“Paul!“ Christina called and shook him to get his attention. 

Forrester slowly turned his head to her and noticed the others looking down at him. He straightened up and remained sitting on the bed. Christina was annoyed at his unkempt appearance. He had shaved and wore the white shirt and blue jeans as she suggested, but his hair looked uncombed. 

“Paul, this is Dr. Mortimer,” Fox introduced. “Dr. Mortimer, ... Paul Forrester.“

“Hello,” Forrester said and held out his hand for a handshake.

Mortimer was surprised by the gesture. He hesitated briefly before taking Paul’s hand and released it only after sitting down beside him on the edge of the bed.

“This is amazing!“ Mortimer said, fascinated. “It appears to be completely normal. I didn’t imagine it to be so perfect!“ 

“He is highly intelligent,” George said. “I hope you will treat him as well as I did.” 

“Of course. Of course,“ Mortimer said and glanced briefly at Fox before returning to gaze at Paul. 

George had an uneasy feeling. This man, Mortimer, was strange. He was ready to attribute it to the excitement of the moment; meeting a genuine extraterrestrial face to face, but there was something else that bothered him. The doctor was acting more like a mad scientist. He thought it was not a good idea to assign a scientific physician as his successor. 

“The clone has all the same internal organs as humans?“ 

Paul eyed the man with skepticism and raised his eyebrows in irritation. It was the first time he’d shown any emotion since the discussion began. Because he knew nothing of this man, he kept silent.

“What happened to the extraterrestrial?“ 

Fox couldn’t help stifle a smile and Ben rolled his eyes. 

“His DNA is a little different compared to normal humans. We assume this is the reason for it. He also has an unusually high energy signature compared to you or me,” answered Christina.

“Remarkable! You know, I participated in experiments we conducted with cloned animals. We found they had a shorter life expectancy. How long has it lived in that body?”

“Why don’t you tell him?” she prompted Forrester.

“Next August it will be twenty years,“ he reluctantly replied.

“It doesn’t look aged more than normal,“ Mortimer said. “I didn’t think it could live 20 years in a cloned body!“ 

Paul raised his eyebrows again in irritation. He didn’t like the way this man talked or referred to him. Still, he said nothing. 

“May I examine it briefly?“ Dr. Mortimer asked Fox.

George was silent. He hadn’t expected the doctor to ask for a physical examination of Forrester. “Uhh...“ 

Mortimer took it as a yes. He took a small penlight from his coat pocket, rose and stood beside Paul. He reached to take Forrester’s chin, but Paul pulled back.

“It’s alright. He won’t hurt you,” Christina reassured him.

Mortimer reached again for Forrester’s chin, and this time he let him take it. He turned the light on and shined the beam first into Paul’s right eye and then in his left. He felt the alien try to turn away, but he held tight. When Paul squeezed his eyes shut and pushed his hand away, he turned off the light. 

“Its pupils react completely normal!“ the physician said surprised. 

Paul covered his eyes with his hands.

“Was that necessary, Doctor?“ Christina reproached Dr. Mortimer, angry at the man’s inconsideration.

Paul removed his hands and opened his eyes, trying to accustom them to light again, but he was still blinded. 

“I can’t see!“ he said, distressed. 

“Please forgive me,” Mortimer apologized and then asked Paul to lie down. He did, even though he still could not see clearly. Paul felt the doctor unbuttoning his shirt. 

“What are you going to do?“ he asked, a little fearful.

“Easy, Paul,” Mrs. Wylie said. “He just wants to listen to your heart. Okay?”

Paul felt the cold disc of the stethoscope placed over his sternum.

“Shhhhh!“ the doctor signaled for silence and listened for a few seconds before removing the stethoscope from Forrester’s chest. He took the listening part from his ears. 

“A very beautiful regular heart beat.” He looked again at Forrester’s chest and saw no scar. “You didn’t open it?” he asked Fox. Again, Mortimer astonished everyone with his question. They all looked at George.

“No. I never saw a necessity for it. We X-rayed him initially at Peagrum and did CAT and MRI scans as well. I believed a separate tangible extraterrestrial being lived inside his body, but I was wrong. Except for some unrecognizable differences, he’s just like any other human. He feels pain, just as we do, therefore we didn’t take anything.”

“Oh really? Normally, at the very least a biopsy is done. It would have to be anaesthetized of course.“ 

Paul followed the conversation and paled with fear. “What does he want to do to me?“ he asked Christina nervously. 

“He wants to take out tiny pieces of your organs for examination under a microscope,“ she told him and saw him swallow anxiously. Her expert eyes noticed his breathing quicken and his complexion turned white as a ghost. 

“Dr. Mortimer, do you mind?” she spoke up again, more than irritated this time. “Can’t you see you’re scaring him?”

“We did take finger and toenail clippings, hair, blood and saliva samples, and a few years later, his appendix and wisdom teeth,” Fox offered. “In the third year of Forrester’s incarceration, his appendix suddenly acted up, and in his fourth year, his wisdom teeth began troubling him. They tested human normal. You can read the results for yourself,” he said and looked at Ben’s wife.

“Yes, I’ll be happy to show them to you,” she said, taking George’s visual clue. She hoped they would be enough to satisfy the scientist and dissuade him from any future ideas of experimenting on Paul.

“Yes, yes,” Mortimer answered and looked at George and Christina. “I’m sorry.....You must think I have nothing else in my head but to run tests on it, but believe me, I’m simply curious because it lives in a cloned human body, one that was not even birthed by a woman.“ 

“Yes, that’s true,“ answered Fox. 

“How long did it take it to complete the process?” 

“Him,” Paul corrected, having had enough of being referred to as a thing. 

“What?” Mortimer asked, looking at Forrester with surprise. 

“Him,” he repeated with more emphasis. “You keep referring to me as ‘it’. I am not an ‘it’. I have a sexual gender. I’m a ‘he’ or a ‘him’, not ‘it’ and I don’t like being called as much.

The doctor was taken aback by the alien’s response. “Uh, I’m sorry,” Mortimer apologized to Paul. 

He repeated his question directly to Forrester, careful to use ‘you’ instead of ‘it’ this time.

Paul didn’t know what to say. The man’s line of questioning, his examination of him, and his cold clinical attitude left bluebirds in his stomach. He didn’t know exactly how long it took. He didn’t keep a sense of the time at the time. In any case, the answer would surprise the man. Doctor Mortimer was anxiously awaiting his reply. 

Paul carefully thought about it and said, “A few minutes. Perhaps fifteen at the most.”

The physician was speechless. He stared at the subject, suddenly seeing Paul’s true nature for the first time. 

“This is unbelievable! What a highly developed being are we dealing with here?” he said excitedly to the others. “Do you know how much energy it takes to clone a body in minutes? Unbelievable!“ 

Forrester had misgivings, seeing the man’s response. He sat there and tried not to make a drama of it, but his stomach felt queasy. 

“In the file it is mentioned that thirty-four years ago ‘he’ fathered a son with a human woman,” Mortimer said, remembering again to call Forrester by his sexual gender, as he wished. “Where is that one?“ 

Paul’s eyes anxiously looked at Fox. 

“When we captured him and his son and Mrs. Hayden, we came to an agreement. Scott and Jenny Hayden would go free. Mr. Forrester agreed to stay here and fully cooperate with us if we released his son and the woman,” George said. “We agreed and let them go.”

“Is the son different than him?“ 

“He is half like his mother and half like me. Physically, he is all human,” Paul said before anyone else could. 

“I’m surprised you let the boy go.”

“We promised him that Scott would not be imprisoned,“ George explained. “We’ve kept our promise and Paul’s kept his word to cooperate.”

“I see,” Mortimer rose. “I will keep the agreement as well. I look forward to our next meeting, Paul Forrester,” he said and offered his hand again.

Paul took it.

“I’ll see you in three weeks. I think we’ll get along well,” he said in farewell.

Fox was in his office typing his report into the computer and observing Forrester on the monitor. Paul was laying in bed again for hours on end, staring at the two photos of his son and Jennifer Hayden. It had been nearly a week since Dr. Mortimer had introduced himself to George, his team and Forrester. The agent had a bad feeling about his successor. There was something disturbing about him. On the one hand he appeared very competent, but on the other hand he was like a science geek with his first chemistry set. George thought again and again of Mortimer’s visit and how roughly he’d treated Forrester. What lay ahead for his alien when he left this place? He was surprised that the time had come in his life when he actually regretted leaving the extraterrestrial being. If someone had told him thirty years ago he would somehow miss Forrester, he would have laughed at them. But George wasn’t laughing now. The longer he’d dealt with Forrester, the more he won his confidence and even learned to like him. Paul was a peaceful being. Yes, he had abilities superior to all humans. Fox thought about the electronic lock Forrester disabled with a simple touch of his finger. Then there was the sphere. It was such an innocent looking thing, but what Paul could do with it boggled the mind. It held power beyond Earthly imagination. That power could be used for good and bad. The destructive potential of the orb was one reason the military was afraid to release Forrester. As long as he didn’t get in contact with it, he was as ordinary as any human. Christina brought George more bad news yesterday. Besides being lethargic she told him Paul had stopped eating. If it continued, they would have to feed him intravenously. How should he explain this to the general? 

“Why are you doing to me this two weeks before my retirement?“ Fox spoke to the Forrester on the monitor. The report was not finished yet. Actually, he hadn’t written a single word. What should he write? Everything would only worry the general. _“It looks as if the individual, Paul Forrester, has no more will to live,”_ he typed, but erased it immediately. He remembered the discussion he had with Ben some days ago about Ben’s idea of informing Forrester’s family and perhaps granting visitation rights afterwards. In the beginning he was against it, but now he recognized Paul needed them more than ever. There were problems to overcome. First: there was Scott and Jenny's initial shock at learning Forrester was still alive. Second: it was questionable if they could get the young man or his mother to trust him enough to come here. Third: once they accepted that Paul was alive, would they try to rescue him again? Fox looked despaired again at the monitor. _“He looks like he’s already died,”_ he thought for the first time. He’d seen him laying there every day, but never noticed how drastic it became. _“What should I do?”_ George breathed as if he carried a heavy load on his shoulders. In his peripheral vision he saw the book Jenny Hayden had written on his file cabinet. He went and picked it up. A thought came to him, which he immediately rejected: Take Paul with him when he went to see Mrs. Hayden about pulling the book. Nonsense! If the general were to hear of it, he would declare him insane and incapable of leading the research station. If he could cheer up Paul up, even a little, it would be more than justified. They’d be gone for only one day. California was next door to Nevada. In theory it would work. Another thought nagged him: Would Paul use the situation to escape with them? George would have to make sure Forrester had no opportunity to try. He’d secure him with hand restraints. He, Ben and Christina would carry their service weapons and never take their eyes off him. Even if Forrester did manage to escape, where would he hide? He suspected Paul would not try to flee, and risk breaking their agreement.

###    
**Chapter 3**  


The next day Fox reached a decision. Paul’s condition hadn’t improved and something had to be done. He called his boss, General Ryder, in Washington. Ryder was the successor of General Wade these last thirteen years since Wade’s passing. He wondered what the general would say to his proposal. As George has assumed, the general didn’t like the idea at all, although he seemed to be very concerned about Forrester’s condition.

“Sir, if we don’t do this, I strongly believe we’re going to lose him sooner rather than later.” 

On the other end of the line, General Ryder took a long breath. 

“You realize you’re going up a whole can of worms when they see he’s not dead? They’re going to want him back, and they may even fight to keep him from coming back.”

“Yes, sir. I know that sir,” George agreed, but he did not withdraw the request. At the end of the telephone conversation the general permitted him the trip with Forrester. However, he told Fox to take special safety precautions. This meant Ben and Christina would go too.

He went to Forrester’s apartment with the book. As Christina described it, Paul was exceptionally withdrawn.

“Paul?” 

Fox called, but received no reply. Forrester didn’t react at all. He came closer and sat on the edge of the bed, not taking his eyes off his prize, caught eighteen years ago. He hoped for an answer or some kind of reaction, but nothing happened. George decided to try again and spoke the alien’s human name. He knew Paul heard him. Forrester had fasted for two days now, but he had not reached the point where his abstinence showed its effects. Like a father seeking a discussion with a stubborn child, he continued to address his prisoner. He didn’t have any clue of the best way to present his suggestion, so he started by telling Paul how unhappy he was that he was being so uncooperative. 

“Christina is very worried about you. She came to my office yesterday and told me you haven’t been eating or drinking. If you continue down this road, you force me to take action. I’ll order Christina to have you fed intravenously. It isn’t pleasant,” he warned and described what would happen, hoping Forrester would change his mind. “They’ll tie you down to the hospital bed. They’ll insert a feeding tube into your stomach and attach a bag of liquid nutrient. Do you really want that to happen?” he finished.

Paul supported himself on an elbow and looked at Fox. “Dr. Mortimer will take over your position in two weeks. He didn’t say it, but his eyes told me everything. When you are gone, Mr. Fox, he will continue where the doctors stopped eighteen years ago at Peagrum. He doesn’t yet respect me the way you do. He can’t wait to cut me open to, as you say, ‘see what makes me tick’!”

Fox was shocked at Paul’s words. “So you’re trying to kill yourself? That’s foolish! Mortimer knows how valuable you are. He wouldn’t risk losing you.”

“Don’t talk to me as if Dr. Mortimer is favorably disposed to me. He is a scientist and thinks of me as his guinea pig. He’s probably dreamt of doing something like this for years. Now he’s getting a chance to get his hands on a real extraterrestrial. You told him you used to believe another being lived inside me, but you discovered you were wrong. He wasn’t listening to you. He will put his hands inside me,” Paul said and pointed to his chest, ”and he will not take them out until he can find that being.” 

Paul stared at Fox until the agent had to look away to avoid his guilty feelings. George stood. He went to the two old photographs of Jenny and Scott, which hung on the other side of the room and stared at them. Paul watched him, then lay back on the pillow. George battled with conflicting thoughts. He tried to think of something to say to calm Paul down. 

After a few moments he said, “Even though I won’t be here, Christina, Ben, Ray and the others will. I know Christina and Ben will do their best to make sure Dr. Mortimer doesn’t hurt you.”

“But you can’t guarantee that.”

George couldn’t lie to him and said, “No.”

Forrester was right. Mortimer wasn’t there in the last eighteen years. Once he was gone, he no longer had the power to keep the mad scientist from laying his itchy hands on the gentle alien. 

Paul closed his eyes, truly afraid.

The agent looked at the book he brought with him. The drawing of the man with a child in his arms was quite beautiful. He was actually annoyed about Jenny Hayden’s little book, but now he would use it to make a suggestion to Paul. 

“Wylie brought me something recently,” he said. “Would you like to see it? It will surely interest you.“

“No,” Forrester answered, his eyes still closed.

George sat beside his alien again and continued anyway. “It’s a book. The front cover shows a man who could be your twin brother. A blond child is in his arms and they’re both looking at a glowing silver ball in the boy’s hand. A beautiful woman wrote the book. We both know her. Still not interested?“ George hoped the description would spark a flicker of curiosity in Forrester. It did. Paul opened his eyes and looked at Fox. The agent held the book so Paul could see the cover. He watched Paul’s eyes grow wide and frightened. George opened the book to show Forrester the author’s picture, then handed it to him.

Paul’s eyes stayed on the photo and he couldn’t help but smile. He began to flip through the pages. There were many colorful illustrations, all of which he recognized being past events. Seeing the size of the letters and the simplicity of the sentences, he knew it was written for children. He read a few lines. It became clear it was his story, only Jenny changed the character’s name to Peter Forster. He slammed the book shut. 

“Why are you showing me this?”

“You agree this is trouble? I was going to drive to her and order her to pull the book from the store shelves. I think it would be better if you came with me and told her yourself.”

“What?“ 

George was pleased his suggestion produced the expected result. “We will drive to Mrs. Hayden and talk to her. I talked to the general about this and he permitted it. It will only be a visit. Our agreement still stands. You will return with me after our talk.”

Paul’s heart pounded so loudly with excitement, he could barely think. He was so focused on the first part of George’s offer, he hadn’t heard the last part. 

“You and I will leave here to see Jenny?“ he asked with disbelief.

“Yes,” Fox said and grinned. “Ben and Christina will come with us too. I don’t know if this is necessary to tell you, but after all these years, I have confidence you will not try to escape. If you do, I’ll go get Scott immediately. I know where he is. Is that clear?” he asked and looked sternly at Paul.

“I promise I will not try to run.”

George smiled like he always did when he triumphed over Paul with his ace. Forrester’s joyful expression suddenly turned grim. Fox noticed and asked, “What’s wrong?” 

“Dr. Mortimer will be waiting for me. I don’t like that man. I’m afraid of him.” 

George concluded what Forrester was really trying to say was he was seeking protection from him from the doctor. 

“When we get back, I’ll talk to him again. Try not to be afraid. The scientists in this country can learn much from you, and to do that they need you alive and in one piece. I’ll remind Dr. Mortimer of that.”

Paul nodded and said nothing more. Fox gave him Jenny’s book. 

“I planned to leave tomorrow, but I can only do that if you start to eat something.”

He nodded again and looked at the agent with an ‘I’m sorry’ and ‘thank you’ expression in his eyes.

George rose. “I’ll have the cook send something. You can start with the appetizer,” he said and handed Paul a chocolate candy bar. He was glad to see Paul take it, open the wrapper and take a bite of the sweet confection. Yet, at the same time he was somehow displeased. Eighteen years in the research center, living the same daily routine, had trained this man, this being, to wear a prison coat, but the more the years went by the more George found himself unhappy with Forrester’s automatic obedience. He had become the master to the slave. Maybe that’s why he felt sad. His slave had become too subjugated.

Wylie and Christina could hardly believe their ears when Fox told them of his plan. Christina was looking forward to meeting Scott. She’d already met Jenny eighteen years ago under unpleasant circumstances. She hoped she could make Mrs. Hayden understand her reasoning for doing what she did. 

Ben was surprised Fox seriously considered his idea, though they were taking Forrester to see Jenny and Scott, not vice versa. What changed George’s mind? Why had George always dismissed any suggestions for visitation rights? Was it because they’d always been able to snap Paul out of his depression before and this time it wasn’t working? Did the book have something to do with it? Whatever the reason, Wylie knew this was going to be Paul’s best chance at regaining his freedom. Dr. Mortimer was such a dedicated scientist, Paul’s chances for release was nil. They were next to nil before he’d met Mortimer, but this was not a man he felt comfortable leaving Paul alone with in a room. But how could he arrange it without kidnapping Forrester and not outwit Fox and his own wife?

 _“The spheres!”_ he thought. _“My God, Ben, you really are an idiot! With the sphere, Forrester could make anything possible. Only how do I get them?”_ he wondered as Fox went back in his office. 

“Darling, I have to pack some things at home for the trip,” Christina interrupted Ben’s thoughts. 

“I’ll come with you,“ answered Ben, still trying to think where the precious orbs were kept. They were taken from Paul and Scott in the beginning, analyzed in Peagrum’s laboratories, but where they went from there, Ben could only guess. Knowing Fox would want them nearby, he surmised they were kept in a special vault in the research center’s basement, far below the living quarters and offices. George knew the access codes of course, but who else did? One would have thought Fox would have given the secret codes to his most trusted partner, but he didn’t. Logic dictated someone else had to know. Christina? Ray? Probably Christina, he guessed. Where she kept the code, he had no idea. He couldn’t ask her without her asking him why he wanted it. 

While Christina packed a small bag and prepared dinner, Ben tried to find the code. He knew his wife kept things related to the project in their bedroom. If it wasn’t in there, then his chances of finding it were bad. To search all the closets in the house was too obvious. He found her document briefcase, where she kept testimonials and papers from her days at the university. He hastily leafed through them, until he found an envelope containing an employment contract, which she received from the government naming her as medical support for the research lab in Nevada. Ben looked through the envelope and found other notes. There was a confidentiality agreement signed by Christina. Attached to it was a smaller sealed envelope that had never been opened. He frowned and read the faded type from an overused printer ribbon. _“Open only if no other superior is available in case of absolute emergency.?”_ The date read: 18th October 1987. Christina’s signature was still recognizable. Ben’s heart pounded. _“Dear God, please let this be the combination to the safe!”_ He gingerly tried to open the envelope and was lucky. The glue was old. Heat and humidity had weakened it over time. The seal gave way. He looked inside and took out a card. On it was two series of numbers. If these really were the codes, then he had a professional decision to make. He had to get to the safe, undetected, open it and retrieve the spheres, and in its place, put fakes, so if someone had the idea to check on them, they would not notice an exchange had been made. He quickly studied and learned the numbers, then placed all the documents back as had found them. While his wife still cooked and helped their son with his homework, Ben went into the garage to look for duplicate spheres to trade for the real ones. He pulled a drawer in from his neatly organized workbench and took out a box. There were balls of every kind inside: wood, plastic, rubber and steel. Ben did not remember exactly how large the originals were, but he hoped the two steel ones he picked out were close enough. He shined them up with a rag and inspected them for any signs of rust before pocketing them. Rust would be a dead giveaway the spheres were imposters. _“Good old Wylie!”_ he thought and grinned. Christina was always grumbling because in her opinion, he stored useless things. _“You see honey, it’s a good thing I kept these things instead of throwing everything away. You never know when you’re going to need it!”_

The next morning, Ben took their son to Christina’s parents and left him under their care for the trip. Fox was impatiently waiting for him at the research center when he arrived. George and Christina went to get Paul. They would be gone for several minutes. He used the elevator to get to the basement. The door opened. Ben stepped out, nervous as a schoolboy facing final exams. The lights came on automatically. He cursed. The vault was in a small room at the end of the corridor. The lights immediately activated, triggered by motion detectors, as soon as anyone entered the room. With an uneasy feeling he approached the safe. There was a digital lock on the wall. All he had to do was enter the correct numbers. He pulled from his memory the sequence he learned last night, touched the keypad and held his breath. The lock beeped once and he heard the mechanism release the door. Ben swallowed with relief and pushed his heart down from his throat. He opened the heavy fortified steel door. There in the vault rested in two Plexiglas containers were the two most highly prized objects in the world, even more valuable than all the worlds diamonds, jewels, precious metals and total sum of all moneys. With shaking hands, he tried the second combination and took the top off. A second later he held the silver sphere in his hand. The marble was slightly larger than those he brought with him, but at a quick glance, no one would notice. He replaced the orbs with his imitations and pocketed the genuine ones. He put the Plexiglas containers back into the steel box, turned the knob on the combination lock, placed the box back in the vault and closed the heavy door. The agent headed for the elevator. Unfortunately he had no idea if his entry had been seen by the guards or if they would sound the alarm. He entered, adjusted his tie, pressed the button for the ground floor and prayed he pulled it off.

Paul was waiting for Fox and Christina. He was surprised when George showed up with his old leather jacket. He missed the supple softness and smell of the broken in leather. He put in on. It felt good to wear it again. Innumeral memories came flooding back. As soon as he zipped up the jacket, Fox produced a set of handcuffs from his coat pocket. 

“It’s for your safety,” he said.

Paul was disappointed Fox used such a lame excuse, refusing or ashamed, to admit he didn’t trust him, even after all these years and despite his promise. However, if George wanted it this way, so be it. He held out his hands and Fox slipped the cold steel restraints around Paul’s wrists. They were uncomfortable and the feeling sent chills down his spine, but the joy at soon seeing his son and Jenny was simply greater than the fuss about security.

The elevator opened and Ben stepped out. He heard steps ahead. Fox came around the corner dragging Forrester with him. 

“Come on, let’s get going. I would like to reach California some time today,“ George complained to Wylie and handed him the second key for the handcuffs. Ben was still nervous and just nodded when he pocketed the key. His hands were clammy and he was probably pale, but he didn’t dare show his excitement. He wanted to shout Hallelujah, but controlled his emotions. 

It was a funny sight because Paul was much taller than George, and George was breathing hard with the effort of hustling Paul to the car. Nevertheless, Paul followed with a strange smile on the face. Christina formed the rear of the procession. She and Ben wore sad faces because Fox still didn’t trust Forrester and had bound him like a criminal. 

Wylie drove. Fox insisted that they use his service car. An airplane or other means of transportation was too uncertain and questions would come up when they saw Paul in handcuffs. Christina sat in front with her husband and Fox took the back seat with his prisoner. The journey led them a long time through the desert.

It had been eighteen years since Paul left the apartment he now called home. The air was so different out here and the wide expanse of the land scared him at first. With time he calmed down, getting more and more curious about the area. It had been so long since he’d been free, and it was absurd to think about it now when he was restrained, riding in a car with three others guarding him.

After some hours they stopped to refuel and take care of “personal business”. While Fox went with Paul into the bathroom, Wylie bought sandwiches and coffee. Afterwards, Fox took a turn at driving and Wylie sat with Paul in the rear. They left Las Vegas behind and headed to Bakersfield, California. Christina turned to Forrester. 

“How does it feel to be outside after such a long time?“ 

“I don’t know,” he answered truthfully. “I’m happy and scared too. It feels good to be on the road again.”

“Why are you scared?”

“I don’t know how it will feel to see them again. They don’t know that I am still alive.“ 

Christina looked at him with guilt. She had lied to Jenny and told her that her extraterrestrial friend was dead because it was the best for all at the time. In the past years, she had become for Paul, his doctor, trusted friend, but she was also like a mother in addition to a listener when he needed someone. She was close to him as he was to her, but in a professional way. Her thoughts were interrupted by Fox. 

“How much further is it, Ben?“ 

Wylie thought of the spheres in his pocket when he answered, “The ranch is in Solvang.“ He gave George directions to reach the town.

“How long will we be staying?“ asked Paul.

“Not long. Only a few hours. We might stay overnight at a motel on the way home.“ 

Hours later they were near their goal. Fox was on the main street and turned right a few miles later onto the road, which led to the ranch. They heard warnings on the radio several times advising motorists about wildfires, which occurred in the area where the Hayward Ranch was located. There were numerous detours for several miles around the periphery. It was September, a notorious time for wildfires, which occurred nearly every year in California. The Santa Ana winds spread the inferno quickly, blackening thousands of acres of matchbox dry timber and grasses. Fox took another detour and had to fully concentrate on the unfamiliar road. They could see gray clouds far away, coming from the fires.

“Oh, that looks bad!“ Christina said. 

Everyone looked at the horizon. 

“Hopefully the ranch is not in danger. Two years ago the fires were really bad. My aunt, who lives in San Bernardino, lost her house in a wildfire. Do you remember, Ben?“ 

Still distracted by the smoke clouds, he grunted his confirmation. 

Suddenly, the cell phone in Fox's jacket rang. Although it was forbidden to talk on the phone while driving, he fished out the phone from the pocket and answered. He tried to steer the car swiftly around a curve while paying attention to the caller. It was the chief guard of the research center. He informed Fox about a flood in Forrester’s bathroom. The whole bathroom and bedroom was under at least an inch of water. They had turned off the monitors after their departure. When the chief guard patrolled through the building minutes ago, he found Forrester’s rooms flooded.

“What?“ Fox shouted, “I’m in California. I can’t help you.” He listened further to the man on the phone, then looked in the rear view mirror to Paul. Because he had oncoming traffic, Fox turned his eyes forward again. 

“Yes, do that, and call a cleaning company too. We’ll be back soon.“ The guard told him Paul had forgotten to turn off the water faucet all the way and left the basin stop closed, so it overflowed. Christina got scared, because he looked again to the rear, while he should have concentrated on the road. 

“Forrester! You did that on purpose, didn’t you?“ he asked furiously. Before Paul could ask him what was wrong, Christina saw the trouble coming. The car had approached a small crossing and distracted as he was, Fox didn’t recognize the small forest road, which flowed into the crossing and from which came a fire brigade car. 

“Watch out!“ Christina cried. 

Her shrill warning made Fox turn his head and the fire brigade car crashed into the driver's side of Fox’s car pushing it to a stop some yards past the road. Everything happened so terribly fast, much too fast to react. All airbags deployed to lessen the collision force as much as possible. Even so, everyone buckled inside were wildly tossed around. The car was hit most badly on the driver’s side. After the shock, nobody knew how to react. Ben and Paul were unharmed and reacted first. They noticed that Fox had a bad wound on his head and Christina held her forehead and groaned. 

“God heavens! Christina, are you okay?” Ben shouted. He looked at Paul for help and saw he had to unlock the handcuffs. He opened the restraints quickly. Ben opened his door, got out and helped his wife out of the car. Paul followed Ben and stepped out from the same side, because his door was damaged. The passengers of the other car came and took over professionally assisting with medical help. 

“Are you okay?“ the driver of the fire brigade car asked, and took a look at Paul, who was a little dazed, but not hurt. Paul nodded. Then they saw Fox in the driver’s seat. He was unconscious. The chassis of the car at the driver's seat was caved in. 

“We need the jaws of life, Jason! The man is unconscious! My God, how in the world did this happen?“ he asked the others. While the men got the tools, another fireman went to the front passenger seat and supported Christina together with Ben. They went around the car and the fireman let her sit down. Meanwhile, the other fireman approached and examined the condition of the unconscious man. Paul didn’t know what he should do. Christina groaned, but Ben wanted to look after his boss. When he saw that Fox had injured his head, he went to get dressing material from the trunk. He was lucky. It opened without problems. With the material in hand, he hurried to the fireman. Together they put a provisional dressing over the wound. Fox woke up and groaned. 

“We’ll get you out in no time!“ assured the fireman. At the same time, the other fireman worked from the outside with the jaws of life on the body of the car. 

“What happened?“ Fox complained. 

“You hurt your head. My partner has already called for the ambulance. We’ll have you out soon, sir. You were lucky, that you chose the fire brigade for an accident. We were coming right from work!“ the man joked and tried to calm Fox. A few moments later the door was opened. Wylie went back to his wife, who still held her head. 

“Ben, my God, how could this happen?“ she asked him and tears appeared in her eyes. “How are the others?“ she asked in concern. Her husband took her into his arms. 

“Paul is fine. Fox hit his head. The door is crushed. He has to be cut out of the car.“ 

The two men carefully removed Fox and placed him on the street beside the car. George held his head. Paul knelt down beside him. The injured agent was too much in shock and pain to notice Paul was not wearing any handcuffs. The fireman also knelt beside Fox. In the distance, an ambulance siren could be heard. Fox called after Wylie. He came to his side. 

“Yes, Mr. Fox?“ he asked and knelt down with the others. 

“Wylie, watch Paul. Don’t leave him alone! Do you hear?“ he asked urgently. 

The ambulance arrived and the paramedics asked the people to move aside. A second ambulance and police car arrived within minutes of the first. Ben dragged Paul by the arm and brought him back to Christina. 

“What are we doing now, Ben?“ asked Christina. 

“They carried Fox away and they want to take you too,“ he answered.

She agreed she needed to get examined. “And Paul?“ 

“Let this be my concern!“ 

“How are you feeling, Christina?“ asked Paul, distressed by Fox’s and her injury.

She smiled at him and took his hand to reassure him. “Not bad. Everything will be fine.“ 

Christina noticed Ben had opened Paul’s handcuffs after the accident. She knew Fox would be alarmed if he saw that, but she also trusted her husband when he volunteered to take over the responsibility regarding their prisoner. Ben would take good care for Paul. 

A medic came to look at Christina. 

“You should come with us, Ma'am. Anyone else hurt?“ he asked, but Ben and Paul answered no. While the medic accompanied Christina to the second ambulance, Wylie remained with Paul. The police officer came to the small group and asked what had happened. 

“I’m Federal Security Agent, Benjamin Wylie, and this is Paul Forrester,” Ben explained, identifying himself for the officer. 

“Are you FSA too?”

“No, he’s a civilian,” Wylie answered before Forrester could. Ben identified his wife and Mr. Fox as the other passengers who were in the car at the time of the crash. He proceeded to give the man the details of the accident. The officer’s partner relayed the details of the accident over radio and ordered a tow truck. 

“I must go with my wife,“ Ben told Paul. 

“And what happens with me?“ he asked. 

He couldn’t believe that he should stay here completely alone. The medics loaded Fox in. Christina was in the second ambulance when Wylie answered him, “The officer will gladly give you a ride to the ranch. About a mile down the street comes a turn. There you must turn right. Go perhaps two or three miles ahead and then turn right again and then you are there. I can’t come with you now. I must go with Christina.“ 

In all the excitement, Ben forgot to hand him the spheres, which he had brought along especially for Paul. 

“I’ll join you as soon as possible. In a few hours, okay?“ 

The medics had completed loading both patients and Wylie got the bags from the trunk, before he entered the second ambulance. When they drove away, Paul was alone. 

“Do you need a ride Mr. Forrester? I can give you a lift if it’s not far,” the officer said.

“No, thank you,” Paul replied. “My girlfriend lives near here. I think I’ll walk there.” He’d rather show up at the ranch alone, and not in a police cruiser if he could help it.

“Are you sure, sir? It’s not a problem,” the man offered again.

“Yes, I’m sure. Thank you.”

“Okay. Take it easy.”

Forrester watched the police officer go to the fireman and speak with them again. He breathed a sigh of relief. While the others were still busy waiting for the tow truck, Paul started walking to the ranch.

 

_True strength  
Break it, says the tough guy,  
so it learns, you are the master.  
Bound it, pull it under, whip sense into it.  
Perhaps it gets hurt, but what the heck,  
it is just a horse.  
Is it evil, or has it only fear?  
It means always that this doesn’t matter.  
Break it’s will, do you hear?  
Or you are soon finished.  
I have learned that this is not true,  
what the people say.  
Communicate with it and let it have enough time.  
Violence only leads to further problems.  
Show it a way and see how it follows,  
how it learns to be our partner.  
Be fair and it will trust you.  
Be careful and it will be your friend.  
Education is no battle where you must win.  
Learning should be a fun game.  
Never take away the dignity of your horse and take the whole with humor:  
Your horse will work until the task is done.  
The biggest strength a human can develop  
is carefulness, this I realize today.  
Bring your horse to believe in you,  
then your inner strength will grow as well._

_Monty Roberts, 2002_

###    
**Chapter 4**  


As Ben had told Paul, a turn came a good mile later. He had time the whole way to think about the accident. Was it a lucky thing that he had now the opportunity to go alone to the farm, almost like a free man? He had nearly forgotten how it felt to walk free. He thought about how it would be to see his son and Jenny again after all these years. They had no notion that he still was alive. How should he behave to them? Scott was no longer a boy now but a young man with 33 years. Again, he missed so many years with them. Years he wanted to have with them. But it wasn’t to be. He knew that Scott worked on a farm, but not exactly what work he did there. He knew only that he worked with horses. While he was busy with his feelings and thoughts, he heard a vehicle coming from behind. He turned and looked at the driver. The truck with a horse trailer in tow stopped and the driver cranked the window down. 

“Are you going to the Hayward farm?“ the man, who was wearing a moustache, asked. A young woman also sat beside him who was probably his daughter. 

“Yes,“ Paul answered as he approached the truck. 

“Do you want a ride?“ 

“Yes, please.“ 

“Dorothy, move over,“ the driver instructed his daughter. 

He pointed to Paul to go around the truck. “Get in on the other side.“ 

The girl slid nearer to her father when Paul opened the door and climbed inside.

“I’m Peter Cantrell and this is my daughter, Dorothy.“ 

“I’m Paul Forrester.“ 

“We’re going to pick up my wife and our horse Rasputin. I hope they are finished.“ 

“Finished with what?“ Paul wanted to know. 

Dorothy answered him. “We bought Rasputin at an auction, some weeks ago, but he wasn’t started yet and very wild.” 

“Started?” Paul inquired about the strange term.

“Starting means to break to saddle,” Peter said. “Richard Hayward starts horses in a much gentler way as it is normally done. Have you heard of Monty Roberts, the horse-whisperer?”

“No, Monty Roberts doesn’t mean anything to me.”

“Why are you on the way to the Hayward farm?” Peter asked.

“I am on the way to visit my son and my girlfriend,” Paul answered. “Do you know Jenny Hayden?“ 

Peter grunted negatively, but Dorothy seemed to know her. Pleased, she turned her head to look at Paul. “She lives in a small house, which belongs to the farm. She is, I found out, Scott’s mother. So, are you Scott’s father?“ 

“Yes, but I haven’t seen him for a very long time.“ 

A little while later, Peter parked the car in the parking lot in front of the stable building. 

The ranch was beautiful. The stable building was at least thirty yards long and in remarkable condition. The Hayward house was beside the stable. 

Many paddocks surrounded the stable building and horses grazed on it. 

The paddocks and the property were fenced by many trees. Juicy green grass grew on all pastures. Everywhere, high trees stood, shading the horses in the paddocks. When they stepped out, Peter continued to speak to his passenger. 

“We didn’t want to start our horse with the old method. It’s brutal and barbarian. The horses are bound and they tie up a leg, so they can’t escape. If they don’t knuckle under, they beat them until they do. The horses give themselves up, subordinate to their master, but for the wrong reasons. The method can take days. It was called ‘breaking’ a horse. Monty Roberts reformed everything. He starts horses by speaking their language. He tells them: ‘Come let us be friends. You don’t need to be afraid of me’ and the horses understand - within thirty minutes! Don’t ask me exactly how he does that, but it’s simply fascinating. I was skeptical before we saw him once in a show. I mean, a guy who can talk to horses? That can’t be. I was wrong. Since that time, I’m a big fan of his. We wanted to start my wife’s horse the same way, but I said give him to the experts. Hayward's farm was closer than Roberts’s, so we drove here. I think it’s your son who starts our horse. At least that’s what my wife told me on the telephone. You can be really proud that your son does such things.“ 

Paul was very impressed by the things Peter told him, but in addition he was also very nervous. He became even more nervous the closer they came to the stable building. His heart beat faster and faster. Dorothy went in front and ran to a fenced area, which was close to the stable. 

The paddock had inside it another wire fence in the form of a circle. Some people stood around outside the circle. Inside the circle, a black horse was running, and in the center stood a young man, who urged the horse on with a rope by throwing the rope again and again after the horse, without hitting it. When Dorothy saw her mother, she ran to her. Peter followed. Hesitating, Paul followed them and placed himself off to the side. Attentively, he observed everything. The young, slim man in the center of the round pen was his son. His teenager had developed into a young adult. Scott had grown up with broad shoulders and a body, which told Paul he was used to hard work. The feelings he had now overwhelmed him. He couldn’t concentrate on the horse, which ran by again and again. What he saw was only his son, who had become a man. Tears came to his eyes. The accident and the last eighteen years were forgotten in the magic of the moment. 

“Scott,“ he mouthed quietly.

Peter and his family didn’t notice that Paul was so overwhelmed. 

“I thought he was already finished!“ Peter told his wife. She looked up at him. 

“Richard Hayward had to leave. His aid, Scott, makes the join-up with him. He just began,“ she informed him and looked at how Scott worked with Rasputin. 

Scott, who still urged the horse on in the circle, didn’t pay attention to the audience. If a horse was in the round pen, he always had spectators. He held the attention of the horse only with his body language. He showed the horse upright, tightened shoulders, frontally turned and looked into the animal’s eyes, without blinking. 

“Watch out, Mrs. Cantrell. He must still run some rounds. That’s the escape distance, which the horse travels in open nature. Soon, he will turn the inside ear to me and he will begin to lick and to chew. With that, he tells me he is an herbivore and that he wants to follow me, and is now ready to accept me as the herd leader. Watch it!“ he spoke again from the round pen to Mrs. Cantrell. 

A short time later, what Scott had foretold, happened. Rasputin turned the inside ear to him, then he began to lick and showed him his tongue. He was now ready to accept humans as official contact partners. Scott taught the horse to flee from him by letting the horse see his hand with spread fingers and by looking him directly in the eyes. Now Scott changed the hand to a fist, lowered it and changed the angle of his shoulders to the horse. In order to stop him, he took the fist with the arm in front of his stomach and avoided looking Rasputin in the eyes. The horse understood and stopped. Scott approached the horse at a 45°-angle with laterally turned shoulders, and walked in a ‘S’-line. When he stood before him, he stroked the forehead of the horse. A short time later, Scott turned away from the animal and thus requested it to follow him. The spectators were astonished. The black horse followed Scott without hesitation. The woman, to who the horse belonged, caught her breath when she saw it. It was hard to believe. Only a short time earlier, Rasputin was still a wild young animal. And now? She was speechless. Camilla Cantrell had misty eyes. She looked to her daughter and to her husband, who apparently felt the same. Paul, who stood a little apart, had seen everything that happened in the round pen. When Scott showed the horse, without force, that it could have confidence with humans, he was so proud of him that his heart was even lighter than just a while ago. Again, more tears appeared in his eyes. After Scott walked some rounds in ‘S’-lines with the horse, which followed him at every step and turn, he let it stop in the center and rubbed his forehead again. He touched the black horse at all body places, rubbed the back and the legs, and then fastened the rope to his halter. A young girl, who Paul had seen standing at the entrance to the round pen, brought a saddle-pad and a light saddle to Scott. 

“We’ll ride him now,“ he explained to his audience. 

The saddle was fastened slowly and carefully to the horse, so that it didn’t slip. Rasputin made a few attempts to step on the cinch strap with the front hoof. The audience could hardly hold back their laughter. Saddled, Rasputin was now sent running again by throwing the rope through the round pen to get accustomed to the feeling. A few rounds later, Scott brought him again to the center, and Rasputin got to wear a bridle for the first time, which the girl kept ready. The reins were fastened behind the saddle. Chewing on the bit, Rasputin again ran rounds in the pen. The bridle seemed to disturb him only a little. So Rasputin learned what a bridle is used for. Scott fastened a rope at each side, so he could work him with a double lunge. Rasputin turned on request and had no problems being steered. It was as if he had done this his whole life. Then the double lunge was removed and only the single line was left. The girl, who was in the round pen the whole time greeted the horse like Scott did by rubbing the forehead. Subsequently, he helped her to lay her body over the saddle. The horse accepted it without bucking. Then she mounted all the way and Scott disconnected the lunge line. The girl rode the horse alone! From the beginning of the join up, to the successful ride, it didn’t take longer than thirty minutes. The audience wanted to cheer and applause, but Scott, for understandable reasons, asked them to be absolutely quiet during his work. He turned to Camilla. 

“If it’s okay with you, Mrs. Cantrell, I would like to call it now a days work.“ 

The owner was still full of gratitude. “Of course, sir.“ 

Scott went out of the round pen with the horse and the Cantrell’s followed him towards the stable. The girl said good-bye and went to her car. Paul decided to follow the small group to the stable, hanging in the back. On the way, Camilla expressed her feelings. “You are a magician!“ 

Scott laughed, and for a short moment, placed his arm around the shoulders of the excited Mrs. Cantrell. 

“No, I’m not, Ma'am, I just tell a horse that it can call me a friend in pure horse language. Nothing more.” 

Camilla gave Scott a quick hug.

“Yes, you are!“ she said to him, and briefly glanced into his eyes. The young man was surprised over the complement, and pleased. But he felt uncomfortable to receive complements from a lady when her husband and her daughter stood next to him.

“If you will excuse me now, Mr. and Mrs. Cantrell, Dorothy. I will unsaddle Rasputin and put him into a free stall.“ 

Camilla saddened with his words. “Oh, I thought we could take Rasputin home now. My husband has brought the horse trailer.“ 

“I’m sorry, Ma'am. If you want you can take him home, but he isn’t ready yet to be ridden without problems. This was only the first lesson. You should leave him here for a few more days. Didn't Mr. Hayward tell you on the telephone that this isn’t done with just one join up?“ 

“No.“ She still looked disappointed. 

Peter came closer to his wife. “It’s okay,“ he said to Scott. “We don’t live far away. We’ll pick him up again in one week. Unfortunately, we misunderstood.“ 

They said good-bye and Scott unsaddled the horse. 

 

Some horses were in their stalls and snorted, satisfied. One could hear them chewing on the hay. Scott put the saddle and the saddle pad over the bracket, when he saw Rasputin turning his head and sharpening his ears. He pat the horse’s neck and went around the horse to see why he was so attentive. A man stood in the entrance of the stable. He was too far away however, for Scott to recognize who it was. 

“I’m sorry, sir, but unauthorized people are not allowed in here,“ he told the man, who stood rooted to the spot in the entrance. Rasputin whinnied. It was loud, and Scott was disturbed by it because he neighed directly in his ear. He untied him and led the horse into the next free stall were he removed the bridle. When he had closed the stall’s door, he went to the washbasin, which was mounted only few steps beside it and hung the used bridle over the faucet. He noticed that the man still stood at the stable entrance. He became a little irritated because the stranger didn’t leave despite his request. He took a few steps toward him. In the dim light he still couldn’t recognize who it was. 

“Excuse me, sir!“ he repeated more forcefully. “Visitors have no admission to the stable,“ he said and walked closer to him. 

As Scott approached, Paul didn’t know what he should say to him. In the few steps, which separated the two, he felt as if years flew by in seconds. The last time he saw Scott, he was a teenager, and now, as he stood in front of him, the teenager changed into an adult. He felt nervous like never before in his life. It was even worse than at that time in Saguaro, when he revealed to Jenny his real identity. Would Scott still recognize him? 

The nearer Scott came to this man, he began to think he might know this person. There were deep emotional feelings connected with this stranger. Scott thought he was dreaming. His figure, the face, he did know him! And then he stood directly opposite the man and looked at him for a long time. He felt like he was paralyzed. Everything around him disappeared. The man standing there was his father! How could that be? 

“Dad?“ he asked, in disbelief. He couldn’t prevent his eyes filling with tears. He wasn’t completely sure if he was correct. It couldn’t be. But still: the resemblance was startlingly close. The man had become older, but the face was the same. It had to be him! 

“Dad?“ he asked again, and then Paul stepped towards him, overwhelmed, to take his son in his arms after eighteen years. That wish had finally been granted. 

“Yes, Scott. It’s your father, Paul,“ he said quietly. 

Scott felt for a moment like a corpse embraced him, but after the man spoke, he was now sure that it wasn’t a dream. 

“Oh my God, Dad!“ Scott cried and hugged him just as fiercely as his father did before. They both cried and laughed at the same time and pat each other on the back. Long moments later, Paul held his son at arms length. Scott just looked at him in shock and couldn’t close his mouth. He was completely speechless. Paul examined him from head to toe and then he smiled. 

“Look at you. You’re as tall as I am. You look so much like your mother. Have I ever told you that?“ he asked Scott and tousled his hair as he did years ago. Scott used to hate it when Paul teased him that way, but this time he paid no mind as he tried to overcome his shock. 

“I can’t believe it......Dad!.....I don’t know what to say. Where did you come from?“ he asked and began to stutter with every other word. Paul held his son by the shoulders. 

“I will tell you everything, Scott, but first I would like to see Jenny. Where is she?“ 

Scott still stared at him in disbelief, his body trembling. Paul could feel how the reunion had taken its toll on him. 

“She lives in a small house, located a half mile from the ranch. We can walk there, if you want.“ 

Paul smiled. He so looked forward to seeing her. 

“Yes. Let’s go.“ 

 

Ben Wylie waited in the hospital, in front of the emergency room, where his wife was being treated. In the other room was Fox. As it happened, everyone got off relatively mildly, but strictly speaking it could have cost everyone’s life as well. Ben nervously kneaded the crumbled paper napkin he held in his hands. He thought again and again about his wife. At least he made it possible that Paul should have arrived at the ranch by now. The only bad thing was he had forgotten to give him the spheres. It suddenly occurred to him that he should call Nevada. They would surely be concerned by now. They’d been speaking to Fox on the mobile phone when the conversation was severed because of the accident. What should he tell them? He was frightened by it. He finally overcame his fear and dialed the number. It seemed like half an eternity passed before somebody was on the line. 

“Hi. Ray? Is that you? It’s Ben.“ 

The person on the other end was very glad to hear him. “Ben! What happened? Julian was talking to Fox. Suddenly the line went dead. We were getting worried.“ 

“Yeah Ray, we had an accident.“ 

“An accident? What happened?“ 

“George overlooked a fire brigade car. It crashed into our car. So much as I know, he has a concussion, and Christina must stay overnight for observation as well. I’m okay. Paul is too.“ 

“And where are you now?“ 

“In the hospital.“ 

Again, there was silence in the line. 

“How long will you guys be away? Has Paul seen his son yet?“ 

“Um,“ Ben began again, “We will have to stay until Fox gets released. Paul is sitting beside me. We’ll see what Fox says. Perhaps he will allow me to drive him to the ranch.“ 

Hearing that Paul was with him, calmed Ray down. 

“Well, let Fox know we have cleared up the mess. Did he tell you Paul caused a flood in his quarters? His bathroom and the bedroom was under an inch of water before Julian found out.”

“Oh,” Ben said. “That’s why he was so angry with him before the accident happened. I wondered why he was so excited.”

“Tell him everything is fine, although we’ll need new carpets. I’ll handle everything until you guys are back.”

“Thanks, Ray.” 

“Greet everyone for me and wish them a quick recovery. And watch Paul, will you, Ben?“ 

“Of course. Thank you, Ray, I’ll tell them. Was there anything else?” Ben asked, wondering if anyone found out about his visit at the vault.

Ray laughed. No, this was really enough for one day.” He heard the cleaning crew coming. “The guys are here. Must go. See you soon.“ 

After he hung up, Ben was somehow glad the flood happened. Nobody had discovered he exchanged the spheres. Everyone was busy cleaning up the mess before they returned. He was proud of himself for managing the exchange without anyone seeing him. 

 

Paul and Scott walked in lockstep like in old times down a forested street to Jenny’s cabin. 

“Will you tell me now where you came from?“ Scott asked again, this time far calmer. Paul stopped. “Mom told me that they killed you. You returned from up there, didn’t you?“ he asked and pointed to the sky. 

Paul shook his head no.

“What does that mean?“ 

He breathed deeply before he gave Scott an answer. “I never died. They lied to your mother and uncle. They did it to keep you from attempting another rescue. They kept me the last eighteen years in a research lab.“ 

Scott's face darkened and tears ran over his cheeks. “Those damn pigs! Oh Dad, if we had a chance to get you out of there, I swear, we would have done everything for you. Everything!“ Full of emotion, he had to give Paul another hug. His father gladly embraced him again. 

When he had calmed down and let him go, Paul continued. “The past eighteen years in the research center weren’t happy ones, Scott, but they didn’t treat me badly; not what you are thinking, and not how they treated us in the beginning in Peagrum. They won’t release me, but is more important for me that you two are well and that they leave you alone.“ 

Again, Scott looked in his father’s eyes full of emotion. “What does that mean? They didn’t release you? Why are you here then? Did you escape?“ 

Paul shook his head again. “Fox retires soon. He’s got Jenny’s book and he has allowed me to come here with him.“ 

His words spun in Scott’s head. “Where is he?“ 

“We had an accident on the street close to the ranch. Fox is hurt. He’s in the hospital. So is my doctor, Christina, and her husband, Ben, rode along with them. You know Ben, Fox's agent. Christina and he became acquainted in their workplace and now they are married.“ 

“What?“ asked Scott, unbelieving. 

Paul told him of Christina, Fox, and Wylie, about the accident, and also about the fact that Ben Wylie supervised and photographed him and Jenny regularly, without them being noticed by him.

“This means,” Scott deduced, “you came alone, because everybody is in the hospital, except you. This also means that they will come soon and take you away again?”

“Yes,” Paul confirmed. 

Scott couldn’t believe what he just heard his father say. He became angry. “Does that mean you’ll go back with them to this research institute, where they locked you up for eighteen years, without contact to the rest of the world? Do you really want that?“ he asked with a trembling, jerky voice. 

Paul became irritated. “Yes, I will go with them, Scott! Of course I’d rather stay here with you, my son, and with Jenny, the woman I love. But I can’t! They will force me to return with them in any case. They control me with you and Jenny. You are only free, because this was the agreement I’d made with them. How long do you believe we can keep up the escape, without the military hunting us down? Do you want that? Do you want to relive those days, being on the run, to live on the road, leave everything behind? If they capture us again, then they’ll have us both and this time they won’t let you go. I can promise you that.” 

Scott looked in his eyes with stubborn determination. “No, of course I don’t want that. But if you believe that I’ll allow them to take you away again, then you’re mistaken, Dad!“ he countered and stomped out, regardless if his father followed him or not. 

Scott was furious with himself and over the discussion moments ago. He walked in front, in order to prepare his mother mentally for his father’s return. He didn’t know how to accomplish it, but he certainly wouldn’t give Paul back to the government. He stood in front of the main door of the small house and looked back over his shoulder. His father was only few steps behind him and entered the porch. 

The house was like he had always dreamt it would be for Jenny. It was a little smaller than the one in Saquaro. It was a wooden house in the middle of the forest. _To live here must be very beautiful,_ Paul thought. 

“I want to go inside first. Alone. You don’t mind, do you? I’m sure she’s upstairs writing her second book,” he said and tried the door. It was locked. “I forgot the key.” 

“I don’t mind,“ Forrester answered and turned the knob. There was a small click and the door was open. “You know, that is no problem for me.“ 

The small trick calmed Scott down and a small smile appeared in his face. He had forgotten that his father was capable of doing such useful tricks, which he could only do in his dreams. 

“I’ll wait here,“ Paul said, and Scott entered the house. 

 

Christina had to stay overnight as she expected. Except for a bandaid on her forehead, she didn’t have any other bruises from the accident. Actually, she was rather well. The physicians insisted, however, that she should remain because she was initially confused. Her husband sat down in the visitor’s chair beside her bed. She talked on the telephone with her parents and told them what had happened. 

“Only one, two days at the most, mother. Don’t worry. I am well. Really. Give John a big kiss from me. We’ll be home again soon.“ 

She said good-bye and hung up. 

“Have you seen Fox? How is he?“ she asked her husband. 

“He’s still in the emergency room.“ 

“Where is Paul? Did he ride along with George in the ambulance?“ 

“I sent him to the ranch.“ 

“Alone?“ she asked, surprised.

“You don’t have a lot of confidence in him, do you? Do you believe he’ll run away?“ 

She hesitated with her answer. “No, but you know you must not leave him alone. Ben, he is still a prisoner. You can’t just leave him, for God’s sake! If Fox or the general hears what you did because of this stupid accident, they will cut your head off. Go after him! Now!”

“I intend to do that anyway, darling.“ 

In her opinion she saw no reason she had to stay overnight. 

“Ben, I must ask you something. Before our car was rammed, Fox was angry about something he heard on the phone. It was because of Paul. What did he do?”

“Ray said he accidentally flooded his rooms.”

“What?” Christina couldn’t believe her ears. “He flooded his quarters? Why?”

“I don’t know yet. He think he probably forgot to turn the water faucet off all the way and the washbasin was closed too. It’s his first trip out of there in eighteen years you know. I would have been excited as well.”

She heard the accusations in his last sentence coming to the surface again. Just as she wanted to address him, the nurse came into the room.

“Hello, Mrs. Wylie. Doctor Schwarzmann sent me with the medicine he ordered.“ 

While the nurse laid the tablets onto her night table, Ben used the interruption to leave. 

“I’m going. I’ll come again and tell you how the reunion went.“ 

“Ben!“ Christina cried after him, but he was already out the door.

###    
**Chapter 5**  


As Scott had predicted, his mother was in the bedroom and sat at her desk over her new notebook computer. Beside her lay her small Jack Russel terrier, Sparky, in his basket. The dog jumped up and pointed his ears, when he heard something. Warned by the dog, she heard someone entering the house. 

“Scott, is that you?“ she called down from the bedroom. 

“Yes, Mom!“ her son answered loudly from downstairs.

“Come up! I just finished a chapter. I still have to ask you something about it.” 

He didn’t know how he should tell her the news. He dragged himself up the stairs and stopped in the doorframe. Sparky ran to Scott and jumped on his leg until he stroked him. He didn’t want to play with Sparky right now. He went carefully to his mother and gently put his arm around her shoulders. 

“Mom? I have to tell you something. We have a visitor.“ 

Jenny turned her head and smiled at him. She removed her eyeglasses, which she needed for writing, and rose. 

“What’s the matter? Is Richard back? Why are you so pale, Scott?“ 

Worried, she put her hand against his cheek. 

 

Paul couldn’t bear staying on the porch any longer because of the tension and entered the house. He was very nervous. Quietly, he began walking through the living room. A few of her earlier starscape paintings still hung on the wall. Among other paintings, he found the landscape she had painted for him. The house was furnished with a lot of wood, but at the same time it was also simple and comfortable. On a bureau she had set up a few momentos. 

There was a photo, which she had in Saguaro. The one where Scott was still a small boy, and beside it one where he and she were pictured. It was like a wedding photo, only the bride and the bridegroom had never actually been married, but still it showed how much they felt for each other. Paul took it into his left hand and stroked Jenny’s picture with the right hand. They were so young at that time! Since then, so many years had passed. He regarded it sadly for a long time and put it back again, only to lift up another framed photo. 

It was the picture, which showed Scott and his mother in the beginning, when they were all together, the first time with him, Jenny and their son. Scott was still a teenager of fourteen years, exactly the way he remembered him in his heart. Paul remembered how he had made that picture. It had been in the film, which he could never develop, because they’d been captured. He felt a twinge in his heart, but the photo was nevertheless very beautiful. 

Sparky heard when Paul stepped into the house. He left the two others and ran like an excited, little barking dog down the stairs, only to stop a moment later abruptly. Scott was busy at that moment trying to explain to his mother, what he somehow couldn’t put into words. 

“Mom, he’s here! It’s Dad! Downstairs!“ 

His mother didn’t understand, what he tried to tell her, because he was so excited.

“What is the matter? You look, as if you have met a ghost!“ She wanted to force him to sit down on the bed, but Scott resisted and took her by the arms. 

“Mom!! Dad’s waiting for you downstairs!“ 

“You mean Richard?” She couldn’t comprehend why he was so keyed up over the ranch owner being here.

“No, Mom, not Richard. Dad! Paul Forrester!” His eyes were clearer now than before and Jenny showed her shock. 

“What?“ she asked him, incapable of more conversation. Her eyes had become wide hearing his words. Scott swallowed and nodded again with his head. She let go of him and ran out of the bedroom and down the stairs. She had to come to a quick stop because the dog sat on the next to last step, which made a view into the living room possible. Sparky eyed someone with an inclined head. Actually it looked funny, but Jenny couldn’t laugh right now. Courageously, she went down the last two steps, until she stood on the one which she shared with Sparky. She took a look in the living room and saw him there. Paul Forrester. Her Paul Forrester. He stood beside the bureau and waited until she came around the corner. Paul looked nervous like a small boy. And Jenny? For her it was like a daydream. 

“Paul,“ she uttered in disbelief and brought her hands over her mouth and nose. There he stood in her living room, like he did already twice before. He looked exactly the same as she remembered him, only a little older, as she was. For Jenny the reunion was different than for Scott. For her it was the second time that her extraterrestrial friend had returned to her. She believed however, like Scott, that he had returned again to her in the body of Paul Forrester, after the scientists had executed him in the laboratory. Her joy was immeasurable. She ran down the remaining stairs and rushed into his waiting arms. Without giving him the chance to say a word, she impetuously sought his lips, and Paul did nothing dearer as to sink in hers. For both a dream came true. They finally had each other again. It was as if the last eighteen years had never happened. She had hoped so much that he would return and now he had. After the reunion kiss, Paul held her in his arms for a long time. 

“Hello, JennyHayden, my beauty!“ he gave her greetings, and stepped back, holding her at arms length, as he did with Scott in order to take a look at her. Jenny liked how he always teased her and addressed her by full name, as he did the first time he saw her. He took a look from head to toe. It was amazing. She was now a mature woman and still she hardly looked older as he remembered her. She had kept her long, dark hair, and she had become slender, slimmer than he remembered, nearly fragile, but she still looked very attractive, despite the many strokes of fate in her life. 

“I love you, Jenny!“ he said joyfully, as he looked at her. Again, they fell into each other’s arms and kissed, this time more passionately than before. Jenny was overwhelmed by him and by his demanding kisses. She held onto his neck and Paul suddenly felt her knees bending and she became weak. 

“What’s the matter, Jenny?“ he asked anxiously and held her, because she would have fallen down. 

The situation had become too much for her and she stuttered, “Paul, you’re back! You came back to me! I knew you would. You returned to me.“ 

Meanwhile, Scott returned to the living room and saw what the return of his father did to his mother. Paul helped her to sit on the couch. Scott moved right away to her side and Sparky jumped nervously in front of the sofa. He wanted to get to her, but there was no more room on the couch. He began to bark until Scott verbally silenced him. “Sparky!!! Quiet!!!“ 

The dog obeyed, but he was still busy trying to find a way to get on the couch. 

“She’s had a problem with her blood pressure for some time. The shock of seeing you again probably knocked her down,“ said Scott. He got up to get a glass of water from the kitchen. Sparky finally got his chance. He hopped on the sofa and took Scott’s place. The dog demanded her attention, but Jenny didn’t react to him. Sitting down, her circulation problem improved, and she put her arms around Paul. 

“You’re back! Now everything will be fine. I missed you so much, Paul. Every day I thought of you. I never forgot you. How could I? I love you so much!“ 

“I love you, too. I felt exactly the same,“ continued Paul. He gave her another gentle kiss, before Scott came and interrupted them with the glass of water in his hand. 

“Hey! Get off!“ ordered Scott, and forced the dog off the sofa. He gave his mother the drink. Jenny didn’t take her eyes off Paul for a second. 

“Are you feeling better?“ he asked anxiously, after she had sipped at the water and put the glass on the table. 

She smiled at him and nodded. Then she turned her head to Scott and said, “See, I told you. Now everything will be fine. He is back and this time nobody can hurt us.“ 

He didn’t answer her, afraid to tell her the truth. Instead, he looked to his father, waiting for him to tell her.

“What’s the matter?“ asked Jenny and looked to Paul. Hesitating, he rose. Sparky hurried and hopped into the vacant place. 

“Who is this?“ he wanted to know. 

“Mom’s dog. His name is Sparky,“ Scott informed him emotionless. He hated what Paul was going to say now, and the question about Sparky was only the distraction for it. Paul stroked the dog briefly. Jenny wanted to know now, what Scott couldn’t say. He sat down on the large padded chair beside the sofa and bent towards her, but couldn’t look in her eyes. 

“I can’t stay this time.“ 

Jenny’s eyes became wide. 

“What do you mean?“ she asked, getting frightened. 

“Jenny, I must tell you something. They lied, when you and Wayne attempted to free me,” After he said it, he was able to look into her eyes again. “I never died. They kept me hidden for eighteen years in that place in Nevada. George Fox, who is the director of the research center, found out by coincidence that you wrote a book about me and Scott. He showed it to me and said I should tell you, you have to pull it. On the way here a car accident happened and George, Christina, and her husband, Ben, had to be taken to the hospital. Ben let me go alone to the ranch. He said he would come as soon as it is possible for him.“ 

She couldn’t believe what she just heard. Her feelings showed the full spectrum of being lied to, mourning and upcoming rage, but also compassion. She had to stand and went into the center of the room. 

“I can’t believe this. You were alive the last eighteen years, while we both believed they killed you in this laboratory? And I believed what the woman told me!“ Now she became annoyed that she was so stupid back then. “Does that mean you never made an attempt to escape?“ 

“No.“ 

Paul looked at her and got up as well. He wanted to comfort her, but she pushed him away. Instead she looked at him with angry eyes. 

“I couldn’t escape. That was the deal, Jenny! My imprisonment for your freedom. Fox kept his promise and I kept mine. Christina lied to you because she thought it was better for your soul welfare, and probably for mine as well.“ 

Again, he wanted to take her in his arms, but Jenny turned away from him. She wanted to know more. “You talk as if you liked it there, Paul! Why did Fox allow you to ride along with him? Because of this book? After eighteen years?“ 

Before he answered, he took a deep breath. Some of his tension eased and he continued, “George Fox had compassion. We’ve had time, in the past eighteen years, to respect each other. I was locked up in that research lab, but I also had opportunity there to teach you something!“

“What?“ 

“A scientist from NASA came. I helped him with the Mars mission more than one year ago.”

“You were participated in the success of the Mars probes Spirit and Opportunity?“ Scott asked excited by his father’s contribution. 

Paul nodded. He continued answering Jenny’s original question. “George Fox retires soon and a successor will replace him. The new man is a scientist. We already became acquainted, but it seems he is only interested in who, or what, is exactly in this body.“ 

“Are you saying this new guy is going to kill you?“ 

Scott understood very well what Paul wanted to tell them. 

“I don’t know. I can only say, that he hasn’t spent the last eighteen years with me, and he has more scientific interest in me than Fox did. Fox allowed me to see you again.“ 

Jenny began to cry and took his hands. “Then let us use the favor of the hour, Paul! We’ll both run away. Right now. We’ll try to get you over the border to Mexico. We should have done that in the beginning. They can’t touch you out of the country. Or do you believe I’ll watch while they drag you away again?“

“Yes, exactly. Do that! Right now!“ Scott rose and came to his parents. The only one, who showed no euphoria, was Paul. 

“And then?“ he answered her question, without dealing with Scott’s request. “Do you want them to take your son instead of me? Or do we include Scott when we run away? They’ll capture us again like last time. One of us, or all of us, could get hurt or killed. I tried already to explain it to Scott. I would rather they have me, who they are really interested in, and let Scott and you live in peace. I would certainly like it if everything would be different, but I won’t run anywhere, and I will do exactly what they demand.“ 

“No! You won’t!“ His son looked at him, his eyes filled with anger. Paul had to get accustomed to such contradictions from his son, which he had not heard in such a way ever before. “If you think that I or Mom will accept, that they let you come here after eighteen years, and we’ll let them take you back,“ he clenched his fists in anger, “then they’re seriously mistaken. I’m no longer a boy now, who must be protected by anyone. I’m all grown up now, if that has escaped you, Dad! And I will get what was taken from both of us. If you are too cowardly, or too naive, or both, to fight for your freedom, then I’ll do it for you. We won’t let you go back!” he said, wildly pointing his finger at Paul. 

His father didn’t know how to react to his anger. Since he gave him no counter argument, Scott left the house, or he would have started a fight with him because of his cool collectiveness. For a long time Paul looked at the door and thought about his words. 

“What are we doing now, Paul?“ Jenny asked and demanded an answer. 

Outside, a car drove up to Jenny’s house. 

“I don’t know any more what we should do!“ he said. 

Jenny went to the window and pushed the curtain aside to find out who came to visit. He followed her to the window. Wylie stepped out of his new rented car. 

“That’s Ben!“ Paul said.

What disturbed Jenny was there was no frightened intonation in his words. It was just the opposite. He said it as if he was pleased about it. She didn’t know any longer how she should judge him. 

Scott stood on the porch and tried to calm his anger down. When he saw the car approaching, all his emotions came to the surface again. When he recognized the man, who was Fox's aid, he lost his control. 

“Hello Scott. Is your father in there?“ Ben asked, unprepared for what followed. 

Furious with rage, Scott ran down to him. Paul and Jenny watched from the window. When they saw Scott sprinting towards Wylie, they both knew immediately that Ben was going to pay for the lies of Paul’s death.

“Scott! No!“ Paul cried to him from the window, but it was too late. Although Ben was nearly a half head taller, Scott grabbed him by the shirt and hurled the physically superior man on the hood of his car. Being completely being beside himself, he hit Ben brutally in the face with his clenched fist, without Ben having the slightest chance to resist. 

“If you believe that I will allow you to take my father again, then you are all mistaken!“ he yelled to Ben in his rage. Wylie saw only stars when he received the impact. 

The agent cried out, but Scott punched him in the head and slammed him hard against the hood. Paul and Jenny ran outside, when they saw the fight coming, but they came too late. As Scott was about to hit Ben again, Paul succeeded in getting Scott away from the agent. 

“Are you mad? Stop it!“ he yelled at him. Scott ceased for an instant. “Ben is my friend! And I thought I taught you not to express your feelings with violence!“ 

Paul stood now protectively in front of Ben. Scott was furious at his father, because he took sides with this agent and patronized him. 

“Your friend,” he snickered. “Oh really? I’m your son! I love you. The father I knew would fight for his freedom, or die trying, not go back, but you sound like you want to! What’s happened to you, Dad?” he yelled at him. Before Paul could reason with him, Scott had enough and stormed out, heading back to the ranch. Paul helped the agent to get up. Ben touched his bleeding nose. 

“Jesus, that guy has a punch!“ he said. 

“Yes,” Paul sadly agreed. 

“Unbelievable!“ Ben added, before Paul helped him in the house. Jenny looked after Scott for a long time and wrestled with what to do. Should she follow Scott or the others? She decided to follow Paul and the agent.

Ben sat on the padded chair and put his legs on the coffee table. He had an ice bag in one hand, which he pressed against his head, and in the other one he had a handkerchief to catch the seeping blood from his nose. Jenny sat on the couch and Paul was sitting next to Ben. He felt really bad about what happened. 

“He hit you really hard. I regret that very much,“ he apologized for Scott, but Ben only groaned. 

“Bad timing, wasn’t it?“ he asked through the handkerchief, but nobody answered him. He took his legs off the table and straightened up. He put the bag on the table and removed the hanky. After he noticed that his nose had stopped bleeding, he put the bloody handkerchief into his jacket. He turned to Jenny and thanked her for the first aid. 

“How are Christina and George?“ Paul asked him. 

“George was still in the treatment room, when I left the hospital. As much the nurse said, he has a gash and a concussion. Christina must stay overnight on observation. I only came to see you. But I believe it would have been better if I didn’t!“ he joked, and hoped it would lighten the air. When no one answered, he continued, “Paul, if you want, and if she wants you, I’ll leave you here. Normally I have to accompany you, but if you won’t tell Fox, I won’t either. It’ll take a few days until he gets released.“ 

“And then what? Do you really believe that you can take him with you, as if this is just a visit?” she objected. 

“Mrs. Hayden, I am not the bad guy here. If you think I want to see Paul spend one more day in that laboratory, then you’re wrong!“ 

Paul tried to calm her. “Jenny, Ben is the man who watched you periodically on Fox's orders. He showed me photos of you. The pictures were part of his observations. He told me what little he knew about you. He became my friend. Believe me.“ 

Now she was distressed that she wasn’t alert enough to see that Fox sent someone in order to watch her and Scott regularly. She stood up in anger. 

“You can tell Mr. Fox that I will not withdraw my book, Mr. Wylie! In fact I will publish a second one, because the children love reading about a being who is more intelligent than all generals of the world together, but is still so fascinated by us innocent humans, not to use its knowledge against us. And if he thinks that things will stay the same after he was so foolish to tell us that Paul was alive the whole time in his hands, then he makes a very big mistake, and so does everyone who works with him!“ She pointed to Paul in her rage with her last words and went upstairs to let her anger subside. Otherwise she would have punched Ben’s nose a second time. 

Ben and Paul looked at each other when she was gone. “What are you thinking, Paul?“ 

“It’s not about what I think or what I want. It was a mistake to come here, but since I am here it’s like living another life. I wouldn’t exchange anything to undo it.“ 

“I thought you would say that.“ 

“I say it reluctantly, but if the accident wouldn’t have happened, Fox would have taken me back by now. I’m glad I can stay for a few more days to iron-out the conflicts with them. I don’t want to go back without their understanding why I can’t stay with them.“ 

With Paul’s words new determination returned to Ben and he stood. 

“But you can, Paul! That’s why I am here! When George told me yesterday he was taking you with him, was that an act of providence. This morning I was in the basement of the research center and brought you something which will make your escape possible.“ 

Paul’s eyes became wide, when Wylie took out from his other jacket the two spheres and pressed them into his hand.

“Ben!“ He couldn’t believe what Wylie had risked for him. “How did you get them? Where were they?“ 

“In a vault. I exchanged them for duplicates.”

“Did anyone see you?”

“No. Use the favor of the hour, Paul, and run away!“ 

Paul’s gaze fell back to the spheres, which lay in his hand again after all these years. He had a strange feeling. It felt as if he held earth in his hand. He closed his fingers around them and looked again to Ben. 

“No, I can’t!” he said, thinking of the consequences. “If I run, Fox will take Scott. If we run, then the chase starts all over again. I don’t want to go back to that kind of life, always running. It was hard and exhausting.”

“But you’ll be free,” Ben countered.

“Will I? I’ll be free temporarily, but I won’t have true freedom. Jenny and Scott have found peace here. I won’t risk their losing it.”

Wylie couldn’t believe his ears. “My God, you have changed. Do you really want to wait until Fox is released and drags you back to Nevada?”

Paul tried to reason again with the agent. In a calm voice he said, “I have to. If I run, I will have lost all the trust and respect I’ve worked to earn with George, Christina and you. It will be gone. If I am captured again, the next time there will be no hope of going free. My imprisonment will be permanent. I won’t jeopardize this chance of earning my freedom.”

More reasonable, Ben said, “I thought, you were scared of Dr. Mortimer?“ 

Paul couldn’t look at Ben when he confessed, “I am afraid of him.“ 

“Well?“ 

“If Mortimer wants to cut me up, I can’t stop him. Better me than Scott!“ 

“And then?“ Ben pressed on. He couldn’t believe how determined Paul was to sacrifice himself, despite having the spheres, which gave him a superior edge. “When he finishes you, you don’t think he will get Scott as well?“ 

Now Paul looked at him, frightened. 

“The agreement between you and Fox means nothing to Dr. Mortimer. Don’t be too sure that he keeps it,“ he said, before he turned and went to the door. Paul followed him with his gaze. “I’ll come back again tomorrow with Christina. I hope you come to your senses and run away with your son and your woman.“ 

The agent gave Paul another look, and what he saw confirmed that Paul had become uncertain. He went outside and drove to the hospital.

Forrester weighed Ben's words. What if Mortimer wouldn’t keep the deal, which was made at that time in favor of Scott? What then? He came to no resolution. He went upstairs and found Jenny in her bed. Sparky was laying close to her and was her only comfort at the moment. She cried quietly and lay facing the window, so that he had to sit on her bed to look at her. 

“Did he go away?“ she asked under her tears. 

Paul nodded. 

“What else did he say?“ 

Paul stroked the small dog briefly.

“I must think about what’s best for us. I won’t endanger you. You do understand that, Jen, don’t you?“ Tenderly, he wiped the tears from her face. It was the first time he used a short diminutive of her first name. It pleased her, and in addition, she liked the apparent transformation in his attitude. 

“I like it that you think about it. Hey, I’m always ready to run away with you!“ 

Her comment made him smile, but he didn’t dare tell her he hadn’t changed his mind yet. 

“I would like to talk with Scott now. Where is he?“ 

“He’s in the stable for sure. Where else would he go? Yes, talk with him. Ask him, what he thinks is best for us. I know he’ll tell you, run!“ 

Propelled by new courage, Jenny got up and rubbed her eyes, drying them. Paul stood up as well and went to the door. He wanted to tell her what Ben brought him, but decided to keep it secret for now. She saw he wanted to say something and asked, “What’s the matter?“ 

He smiled again. “I just wanted to say that Scott doesn’t get the temper from me. It must come from your line!“ 

Jenny grinned. Because of her annoyance, he decided not to kiss her this time and left the house.

###    
**Chapter 6**  


Paul walked alone back to the farm. It wasn’t far. As Jenny had assumed, Scott was in the stable saddling a dark brown horse. After he went inside, Scott noticed him. Scott silently continued to saddle the animal. Paul went to stand beside him and watched him work. He waited for Scott to say something, but he didn’t. As he drew a breath to speak, Scott asked, “Is Wylie gone?” without looking at his father.

“Yes,“ Paul answered, leaning against the stall behind him. 

His son still did not look at him. He concentrated on tightening the cinch strap. “But he will be back to get you?”

Instead of answering his question he asked, “Where are you going?”

This time Scott looked his father in his eyes. He was curious why his Dad hadn’t answered his previous question. He tried to read Paul’s face, but couldn’t, so he told him, “I have to check the fences. Do you want to come along?”

It was the first time Paul noticed the beginning of a smile on his son. “It’s been a long time since I’ve ridden a horse,” he answered. 

Scott finally grinned. “Come on. I’ll help you saddle up.” 

He got his father a mild mannered horse and together, they prepared it for a ride. Scott led the mare out of the stable and helped his father mount. Afterwards, he went back in the stable and went to a locked cabinet, in which two rifles were stored. He took one out and went back outside, slipping the weapon in a scabbard. Paul was surprised, and disturbed, why Scott felt the need to bring a gun on the ride.

“What’s that for?“ he asked and pointed to it. 

“This is a rough country, Dad. You never know what you can expect,“ he said and mounted his horse.

Paul was alarmed his son resorted to using lethal devices to solving problems. It saddened him that Scott had forgotten so much of what he’d taught him.

He found the western style saddle much more comfortable for riding than the English one he used at Antonia Weyburn’s farm. Soon, he enjoyed the trip into nature. Behind the forest, where the stable and Jenny’s cabin was located, fenced pastureland seemed to spread out endlessly. 

“The fences need to be inspected regularly for damage and breaks. We have a few sheep breeders as neighbors, and some sheep always manage to stray on our land,“ Scott informed his father. 

“I don’t think that the horses mind sharing the grass with some sheep,“ Paul answered honestly.

Scott grinned. His father’s reply reminded him very much of old times. 

“Yes, true. Only, I don’t think the sheep owners feel the same way if our horses stray onto their land.”

They rode on in silence again, simply enjoying the view and relaxing to the rhythm and sway of the horse’s movements. Finally, Scott could stand his curiosity no more and asked his Dad, “So what happens now with Wylie and Fox and everything?“ 

Paul simply shrugged. His gesture alarmed Scott and he stopped his horse. Paul’s horse stopped beside the other one without his telling it to.

“I must think about what is the best thing to do. I don’t relish the idea of going back, but I don’t want to put you two in danger either.“ 

“Then let’s run! What are we doing wasting time riding around here? Let’s run before Fox comes. We can be several days ahead of him when he gets released from the hospital.“ 

“And then what?” Paul countered. “Scott, I love you and I love Jenny too. You two are the most important humans in my life. If we run, then it is only a matter of time until they catch up with us. And this time they will probably hunt us not just with one agent but a whole army.”

“Do you know what I think? I think you are a coward. Mom and I would give our lives up for you, and you are always afraid what will happen if they capture us. So what if they do? I was already in their hands. I know how it feels. Mom can tell you what nightmares I had because of that. Jesus Christ, Dad! I was only fourteen years old and they let me go only after they nearly cut my balls off so I can never father children of my own! If they hadn’t done that, they never would have agreed to your deal. Why do you always think of the worst? We could make it to Mexico or Canada. We can go underground, choose other names, and you could finally make Mom happy. It’s you who she needs. Did she tell you she married again some years after she believed you were dead?“ 

Paul raised his eyebrows in surprise and shook his head no.

“To my boss, Richard Hayward. He’s a nice guy, but the marriage broke up because she kept living in hope that you would return to her and then she wouldn’t be free to marry you. You see how fixed she is on you? Dad, you can’t go back.“ 

Scott misunderstood his father’s silence as ignorance. He urged his horse on and galloped away. Paul kept a tight rein on the horse, but after he saw Scott disappear over a hill and drop out of sight, he urged his horse as well and followed him. 

 

When Paul had Scott again in sight, he saw him off the path on the pasture, his horse waiting several feet behind him. Already from this distance, he could see that something was wrong. Scott was standing over a dog-like animal, which was trapped, struggling to free itself and crying loudly in pain. Paul hurried his horse until it stood beside Scott’s. He dismounted quickly and approached the wild animal. It was a coyote, and its right front paw was caught in a steel leg-hold trap. The canine predator was already weakened, but when it saw Scott, it panicked and frantically tried again to free itself. Because its paw was held fast in the trap, each jerk caused more pain. While Paul considered how to help it, Scott bent down and held his arm out to the howling animal. It felt his gentle power and it instantly quieted down. Paul was pleased his son remembered how to calm frightened or angry animals.

“Look at that!“ Scott said. 

Paul bent down to the hurt coyote. The paw was almost severed from its pulling on it. Old and new blood stuck to the wound. The trap had cut deeply into its flesh. The paw was probably being held together merely by its bones. 

“Why do humans do such terrible things?“ Paul asked, horrified. 

“Coyotes kill the sheep. Our neighbor set the traps to decimate them,“ With fury, he added, “Now he’s doing it on our side of the fence! Well, this time we’ll bring charges against him!“ He stood and hurried to his horse to get the rifle. The animal howled again. Paul wanted to get his sphere out from his pocket to free the coyote and heal its paw, but he had to stop Scott first, who arrived with the gun, ready and cocked. Appalled, Paul stood up and pushed the rifle barrel away when Scott took aim on the coyote’s head.

“No!“ 

Scott was shocked. “Dad! You’ve got to understand! It’s in a lot of pain and if you free it, it’ll die a miserable slow death. I have to kill it!“ 

His father looked at him with determination in his eyes. “No, Scott. We have another possibility!“ 

Paul got out the two spheres from his jacket pocket. Scott was so stunned, he couldn’t react when his father showed him the orbs. He let the rifle barrel lower to the ground in disbelief. Paul wanted to give his son his sphere, but Scott was so shocked, that he decided to hand him his later. He turned to the howling animal. Although he hadn’t used the sphere for a long time, it illuminated immediately at his command, its blue light shining and softly humming. The blue light moved to the coyote and engulfed its damaged paw. It became calm and its crying ceased. The trap opened, and a few minutes later, the leg was almost healed. One could still see the borders of the wound. When it was done, the blue light disappeared and the coyote ran away. He smiled, satisfied. Paul turned again and saw Scott staring at him with wide eyes.

“Where did you get them?“ Scott asked. 

“Wylie brought them to me. The man you beat bloody today,“ he informed him with a stern voice. 

“What? He brought you the spheres? Why?“ 

“He took them secretly from the research center, because he doesn’t want me to go back. He wants to see me free.“ 

Scott looked at him, stunned. “Say again? He wants to see you free?“ 

“Yes.“ 

Paul could see Scott truly regretted having beaten the man with such brutality, even though he didn’t understand everything yet.

“That’s great! Then we can go, now that you have the spheres back. I have to talk to Richard and find out if he can pay me today or tomorrow.“ He shouldered the rifle and turned to go to the horses.

“Scott. Wait.“ 

At his father’s request, he turned around. 

“Your sphere,“ Paul said and held the marble in his hand for his son to take. The young man hesitated.

“No, Dad. I don’t want it. It brought me nothing but bad luck. It’s been too long since I’ve used it. I don’t remember how to anymore.“ 

“Scott,“ Paul said gently. “You are my son. The sphere is a part of you. It doesn’t matter how long it’s been since you’ve used it, the ability is in you. I gave you that. It’s an instrument which obeys your will. No one else can do that, except you and I.”

Unfortunately, Paul had forgotten how bitter life was to his son, and Scott reacted with rejection. “I don’t understand you. After all they’ve done to you these past years, you still choose to see the good in humans. You still go through life as a saint, but I can tell you that this world is bad. You’ve experienced it. So have I and everyone I know. This world is no place for dreamers.“ 

“I am not a dreamer. I am only as I am. You try to do the same in your own way to improve the world.“ 

“I don’t do anything, Dad! I’m a small farm hand. All my classmates from college are lawyers and doctors today. They make money in life I can only dream about.” He sadly lowered his glance.

“Making money is not important,” Paul said.

“Aren't you disappointed your son didn’t became a teacher of the world?“ Scott walked three steps and turned around. His father put his hand on his shoulder. Warmth and love flowed over from the father to son. Scott felt it, but kept his eyes lowered. 

“Scott.“ 

The young man did not respond.

“Scott!“ Paul called again more determined this time. 

Finally the young man glanced up and looked into the radiating blue eyes of the man he still didn’t fully understand. 

“Do you think, I would be prouder of you if you had possessed material wealth? When I came to the ranch today, I saw you standing in the round pen. You convinced a young, intimidated horse to accept you in a few minutes as a friend. You did it without words, without subjugating, without pain or fear. You are much ahead of your classmates because you know what’s important in life. You worry about your mother and you care what happens to me, as I care what happens to you. ...... Son, as a father, I am very proud of you. Believe me, you are a teacher of this world without using the sphere.“ 

The words meant a lot to Scott. They let him understand how others saw his situation. There was a lot of truth in his father’s words. He embraced his dad. With a quiet, “Thanks Dad!” he extended his gratitude for the many compliments. When they separated, Paul offered him the silver sphere again. 

“It belongs to you.“ 

This time Scott accepted it. Before he put it in his pants pocket, he played with it, remembering its weight and form. Paul smiled. 

“Let’s ride back,“ he said and mounted. Scott followed him. 

While Paul and Scott were somewhere out there, Richard Hayward came by. Jenny waited for her son’s and Paul’s return at the paddock in front of the stable. When Richard drove up, she welcomed him in a friendly manner. He was still very handsome, despite the hard farm work he had to do. He was as tall as Paul and Scott, had black hair, and his eyes had an unusually green glow. He always wore blue jeans, and very often a cowboy hat had often crowned his head, which Jenny found sexy. 

The two were divorced, but a close friendship still bound them. Richard would have liked to have more of her attention, but the reason for the divorce was that he was always number two in her life, and he didn’t want to play second fiddle anymore. He understood that after the first flirtation was over. Jenny hadn’t told him yet of Paul’s return. She didn’t know how she should tell him. Richard was informed of Paul’s origin. He knew about Scott too. It was all the same to him. 

He regretted Jenny’s and Scott’s past, but Jenny was never sure whether he really believed what she had told him, or if he acted in such a way in the name of peace. Nobody else would have reacted so calmly to the story. Sometimes it seemed the only thing he cared for was his horses.

After he parked the car, he came to her and both leaned against the paddock fence. He told her he was waiting for a customer. Jenny acted absently and he asked her what was the matter. Before she could answer him, she saw Paul and Scott return from their ride. As soon as Scott saw Richard, he urged his horse on. He brought his horse to an abrupt stop and jumped off to stand beside him like some pony express rider executing a flying dismount. Paul’s horse broke into a gallop without receiving instructions from its rider and came to stop beside Scott’s horse. Richard was annoyed because Scott was showing off. 

“Since when is it necessary to gallop in the yard?“ 

Scott ignored the question and glanced at his mother. “Did you tell him yet?“ 

She shook her head. Paul dismounted and joined the others. 

“Richard, I must talk to you.“ 

The rancher noticed Scott seemed unusually excited and nervous. “What’s the matter?“ 

“Something unexpected happened.“ He introduced the rancher to the tall dark-haired stranger. “This is my father, Paul Forrester. Dad, this is my boss, Richard Hayward, Mom's ex-husband.“ 

Paul and Richard shook hands, but Richard eyed the newcomer with skepticism. “I thought you were dead?” 

Paul couldn’t help stifle a grin at the blunt statement. 

“Do you know about me and Scott?“ 

“Yes, everything.“ 

Paul informed him about current events in condensed form. 

“I see,“ Richard commented.

“Fox and Wylie will come to get him soon,” Scott said. “I won’t allow that to happen. That’s why I decided to go with him. I believe Mom also feels the same way.“ 

“Is this true?“ the rancher asked and looked at Jenny. His expression became more and more grim when she wordlessly nodded slowly. Jenny felt as if she betrayed him. He turned again to Scott. “How can you leave me now? We must bring in the hay tomorrow. They gave fire warnings for Solvang!“ 

“Richard, don’t you understand that we have to get away from here before Fox returns?“ Jenny protested. It was obvious to her, he didn’t see the danger which hung like a sword over them. 

“You’ve worked nearly ten years now for me. You arrive here and tell me I must lose the two of you on the spur of the moment. How am I supposed to find a replacement for you in such a short time, huh?” he fumed. “If we don’t bring in that hay, we might lose it with the fire, and then we’ll have no feed for the horses. We must be thankful that the ranch doesn’t burn down, and you want to leave me now?” 

There was an unpleasant silence after Richard’s protests, when Paul said, “We won’t leave you now, Mr. Hayward. I will stay and help you bring in the hay tomorrow.“ 

Richard was flattered by the offer, but was perplexed as well. “I thought this guy, Fox, wants to bring you back into that research headquarters?“ 

“Yes, but he was hurt in an accident and surely won’t be released by tomorrow. If we run away, tomorrow will be soon enough.“ 

“Dad!“ Scott objected outright. 

“Paul!“ Jenny exclaimed, furious. 

“I will not leave him alone,” Paul reproached. “You owe him a lot and you both know it.“ 

Richard’s heart suddenly became a lot lighter. Before Jenny and Scott could disapprove, a Jeep with a horse trailer in tow arrived. 

“Customers. The gelding who doesn’t want to be loaded,“ he grimly informed those standing around, but kept his gaze on Paul. “Thanks for understanding,“ he said humbly. Before he went to his customer, he stopped by Scott. He saw the young man wanted to say something to him, but couldn’t. Richard was Scott’s friend and became his foster father after Paul’s ‘death’. It hurt him to leave Richard so suddenly. With shame, he yielded to his real father’s wishes, even if he didn’t understand it. The rancher put his right hand on Scott’s left shoulder and squeezed it. He gave him a forgiving smile, then clapped him on the back and went to his customer. 

“Do you really want to wait that long?“ Jenny asked Paul. “They warned of fire danger in Solvang and the area on the radio. If we wait until tomorrow, then we might be trapped.“ 

“We heard the fire brigade already,“ Scott warned him. “Mom’s right, Dad. Let’s go now.“ 

“No!“ he said, determined to stay. Jenny and Scott stared at him angrily. He wasn’t finished yet. “You said we run away, Scott. That doesn’t include me. I told you I don’t want the hunt starting all over again.“ 

“But Wylie brought you the spheres. I get the impression you liked it where you came from.“ Scott sounded irritated at not getting his way. 

When Jenny learned the agent helped Paul, she was stunned. “He brought you the spheres?“ 

Paul didn’t answer her. Scott did. He took his marble from his pants pocket and showed it to her. Jenny was speechless. 

“He smuggled them secretly out of the research center,“ Paul admitted. 

“Why?“ she asked.

“Because he doesn’t want me to go back.“ 

“That’s great!“ Jenny exclaimed, her face bright with joy when she returned the sphere to her son. Paul came closer, put an arm around her, and the other one around his son. 

“I don’t want to go back, but it would be foolish of us to escape together. This is not some TV movie. If we escape, every one of us might get hurt. The police and soldiers of the entire country will hunt for us. You need to consider that.”

“So we need to make it difficult for them,” Scott said.

“How do we do that?“ Jenny wanted to know. 

“Wylie gave me an advantage by giving me the spheres. I will go with them, but outwit them on the way back. If you really want to run, then try for the Mexican border. I will contact Scott with my sphere and follow you, alone. We’ll meet there.“ 

They all looked at each other to study each other’s reaction. 

“The idea is not bad,” Jenny said. “What do you think, Scott?“ 

“I don’t know. What will we do when we get to Mexico? I can’t speak Spanish.“

“Learn it,” Paul said. 

“Do you think the FSA can arrange a search for him in Mexico?“ Jenny asked Scott. He only shrugged his shoulders. 

“We can’t stay in Mexico anyway,” the young man said, “We need new identities. I have no idea where we can get faked passports.” He paced a few steps, his nerves taught and stressed. “I’m not a criminal! Otherwise I would know these things. Jesus, why I must have an extraterrestrial father who is continuously pursued by looney-tunes who want to lock him up?“ he cried louder. Paul was stunned by his son’s outbreak and didn’t know if it would be wise to answer right now. Meanwhile, Jenny bit her lips and made a flushed face. She spoke quietly, more to herself than to Paul and Scott. 

“It’s fortunate that we haven’t heard of Fox appearance sooner. Otherwise I could have prepared something. But now? In such a short time? If that only works.....“ She returned from her thoughts and smiled when she observed Paul staring at her fixated. 

“I don’t think Fox would have called you to announce his visit,“ he told her. 

“I need to think about this,” Scott said. “Then we can talk about everything again, okay?“ 

“Okay honey,” his mother answered. “I’m cooking today. Are you coming?“ 

“Sure!“

###    
**Chapter 7**  


Right now Scott had no time for thinking about his father’s plan. He knew Richard had an appointment with these people and he had to help. The rancher and the two owners of the new horse had opened the trailer in the meantime and had unloaded the animal. Scott went towards them and introduced himself to the people. 

“You can watch. I’m going home and start cooking,” Jenny dismissed Paul. “Until later.“ 

Because he had nothing to do otherwise, he followed Scott, but remained in the background and leaned against the paddock fence, while the men spoke with each other. 

“This time we needed two and a half hours for loading him, and the assistance of four people. I don’t know how to continue, Mr. Hayward. This is no longer acceptable. I tried everything: gentle talk, treats of goodies, but he doesn’t want to enter the trailer. It’s as if he sees bad spirits in it. Nothing gets him to cooperate. Since he’s been with me, he never had any bad experiences with the trailer. I can’t understand it,“ the owner said desperate. 

“This is not the first horse I’ve known with such a tick. I had people once who drove thirty miles to me with the horse, only because it didn’t want to be loaded. But you will see. We’ll help you. Wait here, please,“ Richard said and went in the stable. Scott followed him, because he still had to unsaddle the two horses, which he and his father had ridden. Richard picked up a special halter from the tack room. Scott met him in the room and told him about the coyote. He felt very uncomfortable addressing him. He carried a guilty conscience because he had just quit and knew Richard was disappointed. 

“When I rode the fences, we found a coyote caught in a steel trap. The trap was on our side.“ 

“What?“ the rancher asked, shaken. “The trap was on my side of the fence?“ 

“Yes.“ 

“That’s impudent of him. I warned him. Now I’m going to report him. I’ll do that as soon I’m finished here.“ His voice sounded hoarse from suppressed anger, and Scott didn’t know if it was because of the trap or his notice. Richard noticed Scott reacting with fear and softened his tone, “Come on! Finish your work and then you can help me with this gelding.“ 

To be able to work with the horse, Richard converted the round pen with the help of the owners. One of them had to drive the trailer into the paddock, and some fence parts were arranged in a funnel shape to the loading area so the horse had no place to break out. The horse waited in front of the round pen and observed with interest, what the people developed in front of him. Paul stood next to the gelding and stroked his neck. The horse seemed to be nervous, as if it suspected that it had to soon go into the hated trailer. 

“What’s his name?“ Forrester asked the owners. 

“Wallace,“ one of them answered.

“Well Wallace, what are these people doing with you?“ he asked the horse. “Don’t be afraid. They won’t hurt you,” he reassured the animal.

When they were finally finished converting the round pen, Richard asked everyone inside the pen to leave. The two owners introduced themselves to Paul. He learned they were brothers and they both owned the horse equally. Scott brought along a lead rope and took it to Richard. He went to Wallace and was about to exchange the halter, which Richard brought from the tack room for the one the horse wore. 

“What’s this halter for?“ the younger owner asked. 

“This is a Dually halter,” Scott informed them. “It was designed by Monty Robert and is a patented schooling halter. It rewards the horses if they cooperate, and it helps us to bring out the best behavior during leading and loading.“ He traded halters and led the horse into the pen, then left so his boss could begin the training lesson. Richard began a join up with Wallace, just as Scott did with Rasputin. He threw the lead rope after him, until he ran away from him in the circle. After Wallace reached his escape distance, everyone saw him licking and chewing and putting his head down. Richard stopped the gelding with his body language and went towards him laterally, without looking him in the eyes. He rubbed the horse’s forehead and the horse followed him around the pen. The two brothers were as surprised as Rasputin’s owners had been. 

“Look at that!” the older brother said. “He follows him, although he doesn’t know him at all!“ 

Coincidentally, Scott recalled his father’s praise during their ride and looked at him. Their gazes met and both smiled, because Paul apparently thought of the discussion as well. After the follow up Richard forced the gelding to step back with the help of the Dually halter, and allowed him to step forward afterwards, step by step. 

“It’s important that a horse learns to go backwards. A horse that only goes back when it wants to, not when you want it to, uses this method against humans. If however, he is forced to always step backwards, he wants nothing dearer in time than to go forward again,“ the rancher informed his audience from the round pen. After he repeatedly forced Wallace to back up and go forward again, he came always closer to the ramp. The moment came when Wallace had to step on the ramp. Before he could get excited over it and rebel, Richard continued backing him up, and going forward again, and again, until suddenly, when no one expected it, Wallace stepped on the ramp with Richard and they entered the trailer. The owners felt goosebumps on their skin and gasped. How could this be? Was this the same horse they brought with them? In the trailer, Richard turned with the horse and unloaded him immediately afterwards. Less than an hour had passed, until Wallace entered the transporter for the first time voluntarily, without four men annoyingly pushing him inside. The two brothers stood completely speechless in front of the round pen. They couldn’t believe what they just witnessed. Richard went again and again with Wallace in the trailer, whereby he always turned the horse in the transporter. One time he loosened the lead rope from the halter and the horse followed him in the trailer without guidance at all. Richard stopped in the middle of the circular pen and addressed the owners.

“So, now you try it,“ he requested them. “Who’s first?” 

When they hesitated, Scott encouraged them, “Come on, go in!“ 

After they discussed briefly who should go in, the older of the brothers entered the pen. Richard hooked in the lead rope again to Wallace’s halter and passed the line to the man. 

“Don’t look him in the eyes,” he warned. “That triggers his escape impulse. If he hesitates, then you direct him backwards and forward as I did.“ 

The man nodded, as if he were scared of the task, but then took the rope. Wallace went with his owner into the trailer without problems. Like Richard did, he turned the horse in the transporter and came out with him again. The man’s face lit up with joy. His brother, who stood outside, began clapping his hands with jubilance. He insisted on hugging Scott, who was a little confused, and then Paul, who stood beside his son and didn’t quite know how he came to receive this honor. They were both happy for them. The man who had just loaded his horse the first time without problems, likewise insisted on embracing the rancher, then offered his hand to thank him. 

“That was great, sir! It seemed so simple!“ 

“No problem. You know, within the round pen it’s much easier to teach him. He couldn’t break out, and next time, pay attention to do exactly what I did, direct him backwards and then forward. I don’t believe you will have further problems. Hopefully Wallace understands it now.” Richard stroked him again on his forehead and left with round pen with the horse. Outside, they tied Wallace to the paddock fence and adjusted the round pen to the way it was originally. In the end, the owners drove the trailer from the pen to the paddock, and Wallace went for the first time, to the astonishment of his owners, into the trailer without objection. 

 

While Scott said goodbye to the people and went to shower before dinner, Paul remained at the paddock and thought about what he had experienced today, and how much had changed for him and his two loved one’s in a few hours. He was torn inside. On the one hand, he was frightened that the escape could be a big mistake, but on the other hand he wanted to do exactly that. Hopefully, Scott and Jenny wouldn’t resent it some time later having given up their beautiful life here. They had no notion how much he envied them.

Paul turned around when he heard voices coming from the stable. The owners of the gelding said goodbye to Richard. When they drove away, Paul went to him inside the stable. He was busy getting a hayfork to clean out the stalls. 

“Hi,“ Paul greeted him. Richard looked briefly at him and returned the greeting. Paul watched him a while, then offered him assistance. “Do you want me to help you cleaning the stalls?“ 

“Normally this is Scott’s work. You don’t know anything about it,“ he replied curtly.

Paul could see and hear the man was upset. Scott’s sudden resignation hurt him very much. “The lad works for me for ten years now. You come here today and he quits on the spur of the moment. I don’t get it!” he vented his frustration.

“It wasn’t my fault that I was never allowed to have contact with him. That I am here today, is pure coincidence,“ he answered sympathetically. 

Unfortunately, his words didn’t come out the way Paul wanted them to. The rancher became angry, put the fork down and came out of the stall. He stood in front of Paul, tapped his index finger threateningly on Paul’s chest, and gave Forrester a piece of his mind. 

“You know what I believe? I believe that you were in prison all these years and broke out. Why Jenny and Scott told me those ridiculous stories about meeting a man from another star and having his child, and believing it no less, I don’t know. I only know you apparently have a lot of power over them. If you intend to use them in order to escape the country, I’ll stop you! Do you understand? I was married to Jenny once......... okay, this was a long time ago, but she still means a lot to me, and I don’t see why you had to come here and make everybody uptight. If you ran from the police, I don’t want anything to do with you.“ 

“You’re making a mistake. Everything she told you about me is true. I didn’t break out of prison. They kept me locked up in a research facility for the last eighteen years, because I’m not originally from this planet. That’s the only reason they locked me away. And they do want to return me there.“ 

“You escaped?”

“No. Mr. Fox took me with him for two reasons. One was to talk to Jenny about pulling her book. The second was to save my life.”

Richard eyed Paul for a long time, then turned away. “I don’t believe you. You look completely normal, not like I imagine an extraterrestrial would look like. You don’t look sick either. If everything you say is true, then Scott would be your son, or to be more exact, an ET half-breed. But I’ll tell you this: he’s completely normal too. He works well with my horses, but so do I. He’s the light of all girls here, but so ......“ He stopped abruptly, thinking was he was about to say. It would have been a lie and so fond of himself he didn’t want to be. “Jenny told me the same craziness, but she believes it because she doesn’t want to see the truth, and Scott believes the same thing. That never mattered to me. I loved them in spite of that. Scott’s been like a son to me. Only I never had a chance against their extraterrestrial saint. Unfortunately, I didn’t recognize it in the beginning or didn’t want to. I was happy that I had found someone nice again after the death of my wife. Mister, I can’t stop them, but if I get in trouble because of you, then you can prepare yourself for the same. Is that clear?“ 

To say something right now, would not be wise, so Paul just nodded. When the rancher returned to working, he asked, “Do you want me to help you tomorrow with the hay or not?“ 

“Do as you wish,“ Richard murmured behind his shoulders without looking at Forrester. “Scott and I can’t do it alone in one day, not if we want to be finished by tomorrow. So what other alternative do I have? I need your help.“ 

When Mr. Hayward continued working without another word, Paul decided to go to Scott and talk with him. 

 

“Ben, what the hell happened to you?“ Christina cried, horrified, when she saw her husband coming into her room. He fell exhausted into a visitor's chair beside the bed. 

“He punched me,“ he replied and gingerly touched his nose. “My head hurts.” 

“Who?“ she asked and immediately climbed out of her bed and examined his nose. 

“Scott Hayden. It was not very intelligent of me to go there after they understood that he can’t stay this time.“ 

He held still while she gently touched the back of his nose. 

“It doesn’t seem to be broken. Why did the young Hayden punch you? That’s terrible!“ 

Since his nose had stopped bleeding, she left the injury like it was and sat down again on her bed to listen to his report. Ben meanwhile massaged his neck, because it pained him as well. 

“He took everything out on me, his whole frustration and rage. It must have been a big shock for them to see Paul is still alive and was kept imprisoned by us all these years. I don’t think it was a good idea to bring him back without informing them first, Christina.“ 

“And how is Paul?“ 

He looked at his wife and smiled. “You should see him! He’s like a new man. It’s as if someone flipped a switch inside him. I never saw him so full of life.“ 

Ben’s words made her glad. “That’s good. I’m happy for him. He’s the only one who benefits from this stupid accident. Perhaps you were right, Ben. We shouldn’t have taken his family away from him, and we should have contacted them a long time ago.“ 

“Are you admitting you were wrong to tell them he was dead?”

For a moment Christina felt her anger rise again. The old arguments threatened to resurface. She took a deep breath though and nodded. “Yes.”

He thought about the last discussion he had with Paul. What would Forrester decide to do, now that he had the spheres? 

“Ben?“ she asked quietly. “Where is Paul? You didn’t leave him there alone again, did you?”

To give Paul more time, he had to lie to his wife. He hoped he could manage it without getting her suspicious. “He’s outside the room, guarded by a police officer. We’ll spend the night in a motel and I’ll drive him tomorrow to the ranch.”

“Good.”

Ben was relieved she bought his explanation. He crossed his fingers and prayed she wouldn’t ask to prove it and see him.

 

Scott finished with his shower and wore only a pair of blue jeans, when he opened the door for his father. He lived in a small dwelling consisting of two rooms, attached to the main house and near the stables. He invited his father inside. With curiosity, Paul entered his son’s living quarters for the first time. 

“I’m sorry,” Scott apologized while he hastily collected some clothes from the floor and threw them on his bed. “Normally I’m not so messy. Mom’s waiting for us. Fifteen more minutes.“ 

Paul remained silent. His eyes examined the room with interest, and then landed on the muscular, naked torso of his son, whom he envied. Somewhat uncomfortable with the strange situation with his father, Scott decided to lighten up the atmosphere with some hospitality. 

“Well, Dad,“ he said and cleared his throat, while at the same time he turned to get himself a clean shirt from the wardrobe closet beside the bed, and put it on. “May I offer you something to drink? You can’t find much here. Beer perhaps?“ he asked and opened the refrigerator. 

“I prefer water,” Paul politely answered him. 

Scott had to disappoint him. “Hey, this is a bachelor’s pad! I only have beer,“ he told him while he got out two bottles. Scott twisted off the tops and gave one bottle to his father. Paul had to get accustomed to the fact that his son was now old enough to consume alcoholic beverages. It was hard for Paul somehow to see Scott as an adult. When he saw him last, he was still a child barely entering puberty, and now this young man offered him a bottle of beer. Scott drank thirstily from the bottle. After initially hesitating, Paul did the same. He would have preferred the water, but he was also very thirsty after all the excitements of the day. Scott sat down on the small couch. Paul cleared himself a place to sit on the bed. Scott gladly wanted to speak with him further about the plan, but somehow he had the feeling that he shouldn’t bring the subject up again. They would have time enough to talk everything through at his mother’s place. 

“Nice apartment,“ commented Paul, and he took another drink of beer. 

“Thanks. It’s part of my work contract,“ Scott answered. Paul nodded casually. He placed the bottle on the bureau, which stood beside the bed and noticed some framed photographs there. He stood and regarded the pictures. One showed Scott and Elizabeth as a pair in college, and another was with Jenny and Scott, the same one she had in her house. Scott also had a photo with him. Someone made it, because they wanted to give it once to Liz Baynes, which apparently never happened. 

He showed especial interest of a picture of a small brunette girl with braids, who was perhaps six or seven years old, and whose front tooth was missing. Paul lifted the photo and eyed it with wonder. Scott noticed his father’s interest and waited until he asked about the little girl, but Paul raised his eyebrows instead and looked at him.

“That’s Heather, my small angel.“ 

“Your angel?“ 

Scott smiled and went to his Dad’s side. “She’s the daughter of my former girlfriend in college. We were engaged you know.“ 

“Really?“ Paul said and he sat down on the bed with the picture in his hand. “What happened to her?”

“Elizabeth and I were both twenty-two and engaged, when she noticed she was pregnant.“ 

Paul understood the connections and showed a surprised, but somehow uncertain facial expression. 

“Yes, and as soon as Heather was born, Elizabeth confessed that someone else could be the father!” he recalled with a touch of anger. After this revelation, Scott took a long sip of his beer. 

“You were not the father, were you?“ Paul asked sympathetically. 

“No. How could I be?” he snapped, “They sterilized me if you remember! At that time I was only happy and I didn’t want to see the truth, that Elizabeth was disloyal to me. I was such an idiot, that I didn’t notice her affair.“ 

“And then?“ 

“She demanded a paternity test. It showed that the other guy was the father. Nevertheless, I asked for her hand in marriage, but after some time, she decided she didn’t want Heather growing up with two daddy’s. Jason took his fatherly obligations very seriously, and as soon as I left, he married her. They’re still together today. They even had another child. From time to time we write each other. That photo is all I have of my small daughter, who isn’t mine!” he finished and sadly looked at the picture in his father’s hand.

“I’m sorry for you, Scott. Really,“ Paul said and returned the photo to its place. He waited for a further reaction from Scott, and forced himself to a shy smile to lighten up the mood. 

“You shouldn’t be. Otherwise we would have to take my wife and your grandchildren with us to Mexico. It would become a little crowded and tight in Mom’s car.“ 

He laughed, Paul grinned, but he didn’t find the remark so funny.

“Was that the reason you left college and moved away from Wisconsin?“ 

“How do you know that?“ Scott asked with surprise written on his face.

“Wylie told me. You know, he always watched you. Fox never totally let you out of his sight. So I was notified at least about the important things. I knew nothing about Elizabeth and Heather, or they didn’t want to tell me, the same as I knew nothing about Richard and your mother.“ 

“Yes, it seems that way. Now I know why Elizabeth mentioned one time, that she had been requested by a doctor to run the test over again because the first test could have been wrong. They wanted to make sure the test was hundred percent correct. My God, just think if I would have been Heather’s father? What would they have done with her?“ Father and son exchanged anxious looks. 

Scott sighed, too upset with the topic. “Let’s just drop it. So …. how was it in this laboratory?” he asked, changing the subject. “You still haven’t told me much about it. From everything I know, you apparently liked it there.“ 

Paul felt hurt by his assumption. “No Scott,” he began, softly, slowly, “I’d rather be here with you and Jenny, believe me. I was locked up almost all day long in my quarters. I was constantly watched. They let me out only a couple of hours a day to exercise and tend to my garden.”

“You had a garden?”

“It was a hobby they imposed on me to keep me occupied so I would not get bored,” he said matter-of factly, lest Scott get the wrong idea. “Cameras were everywhere, even in the bathroom. Imagine how it is not to have a private life. You wouldn’t like that at all. It’s as if you’re locked up for a life sentence and nobody of your family knows you’re alive.“ 

Scott suddenly felt very sorry for his stupid remarks. “Oh, Dad! I’m so sorry! That was so dumb of me. Only sometimes I have the feeling that…” he said and stopped. 

“What?“ 

“Nothing.“ 

Ashamed, Scott looked at the floor a long time before he sought eye contact and spoke again. “It was like living in a golden cage. Is that you wanted to say?“ 

Paul had never heard the expression before, but he got the idea. “They didn’t hurt me physically as they did in Peagrum. The research center was just built when they moved me there. Nobody knows of it. It stands in the middle of the desert.“ 

“No, Dad! Mom somehow found out. Only after she broke in with uncle Wayne, she was told that you had died. They gave her some of your things and showed her a picture of your corpse. How they faked that, I don’t know. In any case, we believed it. If I only knew that you were imprisoned the whole time alive in there … we had no idea! Golden cage or not, I can’t imagine if I were you. No! I don’t want to! It’s a miracle you still have all your senses. I would have probably gone insane locked up eighteen years like a criminal!“ 

Paul smiled at him sadly. “Yes, I know. I almost did.“ 

 

They decided to go to Jenny’s house. Like they did this morning, they marched in lockstep with each other up the hill. Paul noticed some horses standing in the pasture. A black horse stood separately from the other horses in a paddock, but it wanted badly to be with the others and ran with flaring nostrils and a blowing tail, repeatedly back and forth only to neigh at the end out of protest. 

“Why is the black horse alone? Why isn't it allowed to go the others?“ Paul asked his son, trying to understand the reasons. 

Scott looked downward and had to grin because of the question. 

“This is Sundancer, our stud horse. He of course would gladly like to go to the mares next door, but Richard operates a select breeding program with the mares. Some are already pregnant by our stallion, but many more are to be fertilized by other stallions. He wants to avoid inbreeding. Sundancer is a crowned Quarter Horse stallion. Richard gets 2500 bucks per pregnancy.“ 

Paul wanted to ask him what he meant by a ‘stud’ horse, but he had to tell his son something first. They watched Richard leaving in his pickup truck. 

“He’s driving to the sheriff and fill a complaint because of the coyote,“ informed Scott. 

“I have to tell you something about Richard.“ 

“What?“ 

“He doesn’t believe that I am what I am. He believes I broke out of prison and this is the true reason I have to go to Mexico.“ 

“He told you that?“ 

Paul nodded. “In addition, he said that he won’t stand by if he gets in trouble because of me. And further, he said that he will prevent me using you and Jenny to get to Mexico.“ 

“Well, Dad, listen to me: First of all he can’t prevent anything. He’s only angry because I quit. I’m sorry for him, but what should I do? And why should he get in trouble? ... Come on. Mom’s waiting for us,” he said and gestured for his father to follow him.

###    
**Chapter 8**  


Paul and Scott saw a marvelous dinner waiting for them when they arrived at Jenny’s house. The table was a small and cozy, just right for two very hungry men and one woman. During dinner, Scott started a discussion again about their plans to go to Mexico. How they would proceed, they still didn’t know yet. 

After the meal they moved to the living room. Sparky was laying exceptionally quiet with his head resting on Scott’s lap. He stroked the little dog from time to time. 

“So, you want to wait, until Fox takes you back again,” he said to his father. “Mom and I drive off after your departure. I don’t believe that’s a problem when we two drive over the border into Mexico. I mean, Mom has a passport and I do too, but what about you? You want to trick Fox, escape, and make it illegally to Mexico. Aren’t you afraid if something goes wrong? Dad, think about it! Fox will alert everyone immediately. Do you remember when you were down there and illegally entered the United States again? Everything’s changed. They strengthened the border patrols much more tightly. I doubt you could make it. Really Dad! I think it would be better, if we drive now. We’ll hide you in the trunk and pray the border people don’t get suspicious and search the car. If we’re lucky, we can be in Mexico by tomorrow. Then we can think about what to do next.“ 

“No, Scott,“ Paul protested. “We won’t do it that way. I’ll go back with Fox, and you and Jenny drive alone over the border. Only when I know that you are both safe, at least for the moment, then I’ll try to follow you. I know it won’t be easy, but somehow I’ll make it. If not, then they’ll capture me again, but I’ll know that they can’t harm you any longer.“ 

“And how will you know we made it over the border and are safe?“ 

“You have your sphere. Use it to send me a message,“ instructed his father. 

“Dad, we never did this before. I haven’t seen the sphere for eighteen years, let alone done something with it. Will it work, sending you a message over hundreds of miles?”

Paul grinned. “Of course it will work and you have done it. You sent me a message over millions of miles nineteen years ago. We’ll just have to practice. It doesn’t matter how far the distance is of the receiver. To send or receive a message is like using a telephone, only your equipment is a small sphere.“ 

He took another drink from his second bottle of beer. Shortly afterwards, he began feeling very tired. In addition, his neck hurt more and more. Apparently he wasn’t able to turn his head without feeling pain. Jenny’s sharp eyes caught that something was wrong. 

“Paul, what’s the matter?“ she asked and went to him. 

“Since the accident, my neck hurts there,” he answered and pointed to the place. “At first I felt nothing, but now the pain is getting stronger.“ She pushed his shirt collar aside and began to massage his neck and shoulders. 

“Looks like you have a case of whiplash.“ 

“What is whiplash?”

“That’s when your head and neck are violently swung forward and back or from one side to the other. It’s a common injury in car accidents. Do you remember your head swinging that way when the car was hit?”

“Yes.”

She continued massaging him and felt him relax under her touch. 

“That feels so good. You do it as well as Christina.“ 

Jenny chuckled. “Oh, it seems the lady has a firm place in your heart. What else did she do for you?“ she asked with a hint of jealousy. Paul heard her irritation in her voice and tried to turn to see her, but was punished for it with pain.

“I already told you,” he winced. “Christina has been my doctor for the last eighteen years, but in addition, she also cared for my emotional well-being too. Besides Ben, I trust her the most.“ 

“Paul?“ Jenny asked carefully and moved in front so he could see her. “Tell me how they treated you. Please. I want to know everything.“ 

Before he answered, he glanced at his son who was looking a bit uncomfortable with hearing his experiences again. He tried to smile at her, but the pain prevented it. 

“If I wouldn’t have known that both of you were well, I don’t know how I would have gotten over those years. As I already told Scott, the place stands in the middle of the desert, but you know that. I had nice modern rooms with a beautiful garden, and even a Jacuzzi, but everywhere it was surrounded by concrete walls, topped with high voltage wire, alarms and cameras. They got what they wanted from me: my knowledge of this solar system and the planets, whether they were ready for that information or not. I helped them with the Mars mission. The worst thing was I wasn’t allowed to have a life. I was never allowed outside of the compound. I never saw any other people except those who were introduced to me or worked there. Every part of my day was regulated. They told me when to get up, when to eat and go to sleep. They totally severed my contact to the outside world. There was no TV except for carefully selected DVD’s they thought I’d like, like nature shows or concerts. I had almost no news of outside events, nothing. Christina brought me bits of news, but that was all I had. Ben showed me pictures he took of you and Scott from his surveillances. Those kept my spirits up. Then they introduced Mortimer to me, Fox's successor. He was pleased to meet me, especially because I’ve lived in this cloned body for nearly twenty years. Mortimer is a scientist. He’s worse than Fox ever was. He doesn’t think I’m a danger for mankind as Fox once believed, but he’s even more dangerous than Fox. You probably will find this hard to believe, but George Fox is no longer my enemy. He’s not exactly a friend either, but he trusted me enough to let me visit you before Mortimer takes over his job. When he does, I don’t know what will happen.“ 

Tears came to Jenny’s eyes. “They treated you like a criminal. They used you and controlled you like a trained animal,” she spat angrily. “But tell me, did they ever hurt you, you know, torture you if they didn’t get what they wanted?” 

At least he could relieve her fear on that point. “No. They never harmed me physically. But if you call threatening me with Scott’s imprisonment torture, then yes, they did torture me.” 

She felt so sorry for him and saw him massage his neck again. “Lay down,“ she commanded, and nothing felt dearer than to lay his tired bones on the sofa. “I’ve got a great ointment to treat you with for this kind of trauma. I’m sure it’ll help,” she said and went to look for it in the medicine cabinet. Scott gave up his seat and sat down next to his father. 

“Is there something I can do to help you, Dad?“ he asked as Paul groaned. Apparently the muscular pain was getting worse. 

“You can treat me with the sphere. Do you still know how it works?“ he asked without opening his eyes. Laying down felt very good. 

“No, Dad. Are you crazy? I haven’t done that for a long time. Don’t you remember what happened the last time I tried it?“ 

Paul did remember and smiled. “Try it. Hold it so I can see it and I’ll watch to make sure nothing bad happens.” 

He yawned and became more tired and relaxed. The day had been long and he wasn’t used to having such a turbulent routine. Scott noticed his father was exhausted, but after his Dad told him he couldn’t harm anyone, he wanted to at least try to make him feel better. While he fished the sphere out of his pants pocket, Paul had already fallen asleep. 

“Dad?“ Scott asked when his mother returned with the ointment. He shook him lightly by the shoulder. “Dad?“ he asked again. There was no answer. “He must have fallen asleep.“ 

“So wake him up.“ 

He tried to shake Paul awake, but he wasn’t able to rouse him. 

“How much beer did you two drink?“ Jenny asked her son. 

“We had one at my place and one with dinner. I can’t believe two beers floors him!”

“Neither can I,” she said and shook him. When she got no response she became alarmed. “Paul! Wake up. Do you hear me?“ she asked with panic rising in her voice. She tried to shake him awake again, but he was dead to the world. “Something is wrong here!“ she said and listened to his breathing, took his pulse and felt for his temperature. “Scott?“ 

“What do you want me to do?“ he asked her helplessly. 

“Try to reach your father with the sphere. Do you think you can?“ 

“You mean him?.....Him inside there? Do you think I can ask him with the sphere?“ 

“Yes, exactly, Scott. It isn’t normal to pass out and can’t be awakened. It’s as if he went into coma after two bottles of beer!“ 

“Yes, but he isn’t normal, Mom. He never drank alcohol when he was with me. He probably can’t tolerate it. There are such kinds of people you know.“ 

“Just do it!“ she encouraged him. Together they carefully turned Paul on his back. Jenny dug in his pants pocket, brought out his sphere and laid it in his hand. Meanwhile, Scott sat next to his father and tried to concentrate on his own sphere, but nothing happened at first. 

“Well?“ Jenny asked him impatiently. 

It was very disturbing when she observed him, but it was more disturbing when she expected results right away. 

“Be quiet! I’m trying to concentrate on this thing here, all right?“ he countered, annoyed. From then on Jenny shut up, but kept a watchful eye on him. After a half eternity, Scott brought his sphere to light. At the same time his father’s sphere showed a gentle shine. He closed his eyes to concentrate better and mentally tried to contact his father. It didn’t last long. He cried out loud, dropped his sphere to the floor and stood up frightened. The dog was frightened by the cry and jumped from his seat.

“What happened?“ asked Jenny, but Scott looked at her aghast. 

“My God!“ he cried and sat down in the empty chair, rubbing his face with trembling hands. 

“What happened? Tell me!“ she begged him. “Is he alright?”

It took a long time until Scott could talk to her. 

“Mom, it was frightening!“ He tried to pull himself together. The attempt really scared him and he wished Jenny would give him a hug like she did when he was a child. 

“Did he say something?“ 

He shook his head hastily. 

“At first nothing happened. I tried to ask him in my thoughts if he was well. He answered me, Mom, but not like I’m speaking with you now. His answer came out of my head, and it was kind of like music! It was as if you stood in a room and somebody sang funny vibrations in your ears.”

Jenny listened to the fascinating description. 

“What did he say?“ 

“I don’t know. I was totally frightened. Everything stopped when I dropped the sphere.“ 

“And you don’t know at all what he said?“ she asked him and looked at Paul still with concern. Scott gazed at his father. 

“I’m not sure, but I don’t think anything is wrong with him. I didn’t receive anything that indicated that. At least not for the second, before this........happened. Do you understand, Mom?“ he asked and exchanged looks with her. He rose and then picked up his sphere from the floor and took his father’s sphere from his hand and put both in his pockets. “I’ll carry him upstairs for you. I can’t do more for him.“ 

He pulled his dad into a sitting position, then took his father’s arm and ducked his head under and hoisted Paul’s torso onto his shoulder. He stood with his burden and held one of this father’s legs close to him, so he wouldn’t slip off. 

“Man, he weighs as much as a horse!“ Scott complained, and slowly made his way up the stairs into his mother’s bedroom. He took care to gently lay his father on the bed. Paul was still unconscious. Together, Scott and Jenny began to undress him. When they’d stripped him to his underwear, they covered him with the blankets. 

“I’ll leave now,” Scott said and put his dad’s sphere on the nightstand. He went and kissed his mother and said good-bye. She followed Scott to the door. Sparky jumped on the bed and found the sphere on the stand and picked it up in this mouth.

Jenny noticed her son was still upset. “Is everything all right?“ she asked gently. 

Scott nodded. 

Sparky jumped down again, playing with the silver ball. Jenny saw the dog had something in his mouth. 

“Sparky, drop it!“ she ordered and hurried to retrieve the object before he could swallow it. The sphere dropped onto the floor. She picked up the wet orb. 

“Eaww! That’s gross,” Scott said. “His spit’s all over it.”

She took a tissue from the box and dried the sphere off before putting it in the nightstand drawer. 

“It isn’t any grosser than a bridle bit covered with green and white slobber,” she said and tossed the used tissue into the wastebasket.

“Call me if anything happens with him, okay?“ 

“When are you coming to pick him up?“ 

“Around seven,” he answered. “I don’t think he’ll be able to help us bring in the hay tomorrow. G‘night Mom.“ 

“We’ll see. Good night, Scotty,“ she wished him while he ran down the steps. 

Jenny sat back down on the edge of the bed. Paul was laying there peacefully stretched out. She softly stroked his forehead and cheeks. He breathed slowly, regularly, and nothing indicated that something was wrong with him. She watched him sleep and couldn’t believe that her Paul, after eighteen years, in which she thought him dead, calmly slept in her bed. A while later she prepared to join him under the covers. She switched off the light and slipped close to him. Jenny nestled herself to his shoulder. She only wished this moment with him would last forever. She fell asleep and unconsciously pressed her body against his.

 

The next morning Jenny and Paul were awakened by the alarm clock. She was still nestled in his arm, and turned briefly to switch off the buzzer. Paul opened his eyes, but needed a moment to register where he was. When he tried to get up, he groaned immediately. He had the most terrible headache, and in addition, the pain in his neck was so excruciating that he was no longer able to turn his head, not even a little. The pain in his neck only lessened after he had laid his head down again. 

“How are you feeling?“ she asked when she bent over him and kissed him tenderly on his lips. Actually, it was the fulfillment of Paul’s dreams to share a bed again with Jenny, but at the moment he couldn’t think about that. The pain almost felt as if it would kill him. 

“My head is pounding and now I can’t move my neck at all!“ 

“Paul, we were worried about you yesterday. You suddenly fell asleep and were totally out of it. Scott carried you upstairs. Do you remember anything at all?“ 

He made a grim face because of the pain. “No,“ he mumbled, hardly understandable. 

It didn’t take a genius to see that he was unable to work. 

“It seems you can forget about haying. I’d call Scott, but he’s surely already on his way to pick you up,“ she said and got up to look for her cell phone. Sparky woke up in the meantime and yawned. Paul didn’t answer her. He was only able to hold his head. Somehow he was unable to capture a clear thought. A short time later, Jenny found the phone and called her son. There was no answer. 

“I can’t reach him,“ she informed him and sat down again next to Paul on the edge of the bed. Sparky overcame his morning tiredness and forced himself to go to his owner. He wanted her to lift him up and jumped on her legs, planting his front feet on her knees. Jenny pushed him back on the floor. 

“Do you want an aspirin?“ she asked him.

He declined with a wave of his hand because he was unable to answer her verbally or even open his eyes. 

“Paul, it looks as if you’ve got a hangover and whiplash. Do you want me to massage your neck?“ 

Instead of answering, he tried to turn on his stomach, but quickly gave up because of the pain. 

“Can you do it in this position? I can’t move.”

She climbed onto his body and sat down at his hips and gently began to massage his neck and shoulders. 

“What’s a hangover?”

She grinned. “A hangover is what you get when you drink too much alcohol. If you don’t build up a tolerance for it, your head will hurt the next day just like yours does.” 

“How much alcohol did I have?“ 

“Just two beers,“ she answered with a chuckle.

Paul did not find it amusing. “I’m never going to drink alcoholic beverages again.” 

Sparky hopped on the bed and eyed the situation curiously. Although Jenny admonished the dog several times to leave the bed, he stayed in his place. Paul rolled his eyes back during her ministrations. He wished it would last forever. If he wasn’t so immobile at the moment, he wished for completely different things from her, because she was already in the correct position for it. Jenny’s hands worked firmly, though tenderly at his neck, easing the stiffness. Two minutes later she heard somebody coming through the door downstairs. 

“It’s me, Mom!“ Scott cried. This time he hadn’t forgotten his key. He hurried up the stairs. Sparky jumped off the bed and stormed up to him and met him at the stairs. The terrier jumped at his pants legs to greet him, but Scott shook him off. 

“Is he ready?“ he asked, before he entered the room out of bad habit without knocking. He hadn’t counted on the fact of finding his parents still in bed in a position whereby he blushed immediately. 

“Uh, I’m sorry!“ he apologized to his mother and moved to escape the embarrassing situation. 

“Scott, come here,“ she cried after him and scrambled to climb off her Starman. She sat down next to Paul. Scott turned and approached his father on the bed. He recognized now what the real situation was. The dog hopped back up on the bed. Moaning at the unnecessary movement of the bed, Paul tried to massage himself. He didn’t know where he should start, his head or his neck. 

“Dad?“ Scott greeted and sat on the other side of the bed.

“Hi,“ Paul said still with closed eyes. 

“Can I do something for you?“ 

Paul tried to nod, but even that hurt. Scott felt helpless. He guessed yesterday that the situation would develop as it had.

“Use the sphere. Help me, please. Otherwise I can’t help you with the hay.“

He expected his father to suggest something like that and he rebelled, “No. Out of the question. I won’t touch the sphere so quickly again.“ 

Paul forced himself to open his eyes to find out why his son would make such a statement. He saw fear on his son’s face. 

“Scott, why won’t you help me?” 

“Why? Because I don’t know how, that’s why.”

“You’re not telling me everything,” Paul said. “Something’s scared you. What is it?”

Backed into a corner, Scott confessed last night’s experience. “Yesterday when you were unconscious, I tried to reach you with the sphere because Mom asked me to. By you, I mean my father inside that body. I did, and asked you if you were okay, but the answer you gave me scared me. You didn’t answer in words. I heard this strange kind of music coming from inside my head instead.”

Paul didn’t understand why that worried Scott so much. “You contacted me and I answered you the only way I could.”

“Dad, that isn’t funny!” Scott replied angrily. “It was completely different from the few times we sent each other messages over the sphere when I was still a child!“ 

“It wasn’t different at all. I couldn’t answer you in your language, therefore I contacted the side of me that is deep within yourself. It was the language of my world. Obviously you understood what I said.“ 

Scott relaxed a little and became curious. “What did you tell me?“ 

“Probably that I was okay and not to worry. However, I don’t remember it any longer. I had _two_ beers!”

Jenny grinned in amusement. Scott hadn’t noticed his father’s astonishment about the effect of so little alcohol, he was still focused on the communication, surprised that he had interpreted an alien language correctly. 

“Will you help me now? Please?“ Paul asked his son again when he saw Scott made no moves to take the initiative. 

The young man looked at his father in obvious pain. He wanted to help him. He had no desire to see his dad hurting, but the thought of using the sphere again still frightened him. 

“No, Dad. I’ll hold it so you can see it, but you do it yourself, okay?“ He pulled open the nightstand drawer where he saw his mother put the orb last night and held it in his open hand, tilting it slightly so his father could see it. Jenny sat quietly with her dog Sparky and waited for the show to begin.

Paul noticed Scott’s reluctance and fear at using the precious gift he gave to his son, but now was not the time to argue about it and force him. He concentrated and the sphere began to glow. Immediately, a blue light covered his head and shoulders. Jenny recalled a sudden memory when she witnessed him in her Wisconsin cabin, grow from an infant to a fully grown man in a matter of a few minutes. The blue light scared her back then, and she also remembered she was quite drunk at the time, but now it fascinated, not frightened her. She saw his tight expression of pain disappear to be replaced by serene calmness. Scott mistook his mother’s look on her face and said, “Don’t be scared, Mom. This is better than any ointment.“ 

Paul didn’t react to his son’s comment, but concentrated on finishing the healing. The blue light gradually faded and the sphere returned to its former inert condition.

Scott smiled and Jenny looked hopefully at Paul.

“Well, Dad?”

Paul twisted his head from side to side and exclaimed, “What a relief!”

Jenny carefully moved closer to her Starman. He saw her and pulled her head playfully to his to give her a kiss. Sparky wedged himself between them to break them apart.

“I think I’ll leave you two alone,“ Scott said with a grin and placed his father’s sphere on the nightstand. He turned and headed out of the bedroom.

“Wait, Scott!” Paul said. “Give me five minutes.“ 

He regretted leaving his love, but he had to if he was going to help his son with his work. He got up swiftly, picked up the clothes Jenny had placed on the chair and disappeared into the bathroom which was connected with the bedroom.

While Paul washed and dressed, Jenny and Scott went downstairs. Jenny hurried to prepare a boxed lunch for the men. Meanwhile Scott worked at the coffee maker and hoped there was enough time to make and drink a cup before his father was ready. While Jenny made the sandwiches, she asked Scott a question that he didn’t expect. 

“Did you pack yet?“ 

With wide eyes, he looked at her. “No,” he answered. “I’ll do it today when we return.“ 

“You’re cutting it close. It still surprises me no one has come for him since you belted Wylie yesterday.”

“Who cares? I don’t want him to go back again after hearing how terrible his life was there.”

“Me neither, but everything’s happening so fast. You’ve been working for Richard for ten years now, and perhaps today, tomorrow at the latest, we pick up our roots again because of your father. Everything you’ve gained here you must give up. I only wanted to make sure if this is okay with you. I don’t want you to feel you have to come with us because we say it’s the best for us ... and the only chance we have.”

Scott looked at her, uncertainty written in his eyes. “You’re right. I don’t want to go away, but what choice do I have? I don’t want Dad to go back, nor do I want to end up there with him.”

His despair became too much for him and he felt the strong need to hug his mother. 

“How are you so strong, Mom? Nothing affects you,” he told her while still held desperately in her gentle motherly embrace. She held her son out at arm’s length.

“It does affect me, more than you know. Scotty, believe me, it matters a lot to me. I ran away my whole life, first with you, then alone, and then with you both. I always knew he would return one day. If it means I must run away again to be together with him, then I will do it.”

They heard Paul coming down the stairs. Scott hurried to get his emotions in check. He broke away from his mother and acted as if nothing occurred, that they were just having an idle conversation. Paul’s keen eyes for body language picked up something had just happened between these two. He avoided it, however, to address his son.

“Are you ready?“ he asked and put the small dog on the floor, which he carried downstairs with him. 

“Hey Sparky! Are you becoming unfaithful to me?” she joked, while she got out a can of dog food from the cupboard and opened it. She was surprised the terrier formed such a strong friendship with Paul so soon. Not even Scott could carry him around like a baby. He and Scott grinned. The dog sensed they were talking about him and started barking until she gave him his food.

“Do you want to eat breakfast?“ Scott asked his father. 

“I’ll do that on the way.“ He searched for his leather jacket, which hung in the living room over a chair. Jenny ran after them with the bag of sandwiches and a Thermos bottle and handed them to her son. 

“When will you guys be back?“ she asked him.

“Probably this evening.“ 

“Well, then have a good day,“ she said and kissed him before dismissing him. Scott went through the door when Paul turned to her and kissed her goodbye. She sank into his damp kiss and secretly wished to slam the door and go upstairs with him to bed again. Apparently he felt the same because it was hard for him to leave her. The woman attracted him magically. Why was their time always so limited and precious? Reluctantly, he let go of her when Scott called already from outside, “Dad, are you coming?“ 

When father and son went down to the stable, Scott smiled at his Dad a few times until he picked up on it.

“What is it?“ Paul inquired at his son’s beaming face.

“Man oh man, you’ve made Mom so happy since you’re back again. I never thought it would have such an effect on her, honestly.“ 

“I love her. It’s completely natural, isn’t it?“ 

Scott grinned at his honesty. “Of course, Dad. I’m only happy because she’s so happy. Hopefully it stays that way,” he added with an uncertain undertone. 

Paul did not reply to his last remark. He wanted so much to tell him his most intimate desire was to stay with him and Jenny, but if he could convince everyone else was another question. 

While they walked in lockstep next to each other, he took the moment to ask his son what transpired in the kitchen. “Do you want to tell what happened before I came downstairs?“ 

Scott was surprised his Dad had seen something, despite his best effort to hide his feelings.

“It was nothing. Really.“ 

“I know it must be hard for you to go, but you suggested it yourself. We can still cancel everything if that’s what you want. Nothing is lost. I don’t want the military to come get you one day. It won’t happen today or tomorrow, but I believe it will happen someday after I’m dead.”

Scott stopped. 

“You’re probably right, but I’ve already said I don’t want you to go back. It will be hard to go and leave everything behind, most of all from today.”

“I understand. I would feel the same.“ 

Scott started walking again and Paul followed him. When they looked at the ranch, they saw Richard already waiting at the stable with his tractor. 

“Richard would like to have your mother back you know?” Paul said, remembering the discussion he had yesterday with the man. 

Without looking at his father, Scott grinned, recalling the never-ending talks Richard had with him. “I know. He talks often about her, but now be honest, does he stand a chance of getting her?“ 

Paul answered him with a sly smile.

###    
**Chapter 9**  


When the two arrived, they wished Richard good-morning. Paul still had the impression Mr. Hayward didn’t have the best opinion of him and accepted him only grudgingly because he had no other choice. The rancher gave Paul and Scott instructions and handed them their tasks. He would drive the tractor, and Paul and Scott would work on the wagon and stack the hay. The tractor had a hay baler attached behind it and a large wagon behind that to load it.

“Have you heard the news today?“ Richard asked them, but both shook their heads no. “The first fires in Solvang broke out. We must hurry. I’m scared that we will have sparks flying in the wind and that the fire drives will head to our forest. Then we’ll have a really bad problem.“ 

“Yes, I know,” Scott said. “I’m trying not to think if the trees begin to burn around here. They’re all dried up. The fire would race through it.”

Richard’s mind showed only concern. His farm aid had quit yesterday, and now he had to cope with the bad news with fire, which could possibly hit him. He didn’t want to discuss it further however. A lot of work waited for them, and perhaps the fires weren’t so bad. When everybody had taken their places, Richard drove the tractor to the fields. They heard the fire brigade drive by in the distance. The smoke trails they’d seen yesterday appeared to be closer today, at least that’s what Paul thought. In the field they could hardly see any of it because the field was far outside the forest.

 

“Come in,“ Fox called when he heard a knock at his door. Christina had gotten released and wanted to look in on her boss before she went to her husband and Paul, who’d spent the night in a motel close by. 

“Hello, Mr. Fox. Good morning,“ she greeted and entered. He was still laying in his bed, a little weak, but looked much better than yesterday. He had a bandage on his forehead and his left arm rested in a sling. She’d looked in on him yesterday, but the doctor had given him a tranquilizer, so she hadn’t been able to speak with him. 

“How are you?“ 

“Like you’d expect somebody to feel who got rammed by a fire brigade car. The wound on my forehead required stitches and my arm is banged up. I have a slight concussion. I don’t remember anything of the accident. Nothing at all. It’s a miracle that nothing more happened. How are you and the others? Is Wylie still with Forrester?“ 

“I just got released. Paul is okay. Ben took him yesterday to see his family. They spent the night in a motel. Ben’s not so well though. Scott punched him in the nose out of rage on us. It was probably not such a good idea to take Paul with us.“ 

“I expected something like that to happen when they saw Forrester still alive. Can’t say I blame Scott. I’d be angry too. It takes a lot of courage to take it up with Ben. Wylie’s a heavyweight compared to Scott. How was the reunion otherwise?“ 

“Ben said Paul’s like a new person. The trip did miracles for him. If you don’t mind, we’ll take him up to the ranch again today?” 

“Yes. Do that, Christina. I must remain here until tomorrow. Did Ben tell you what Forrester did yesterday?”

“Oh, you mean the flood in his rooms? Yes, Ben told me about it. I’m sure he didn’t do it on purpose. I guess he was so excited about the trip he just forgot.”

“He’d better or I’ll charge him the bill for the cleaners and the new carpet.”

Christina giggled. “I think I’ll go now,” she said and turned to leave.

“Don’t let Forrester out of your sight. Now that they have so much time together, Scott and Mrs. Hayden will certainly make the suggestion to run away. That must not happen.“ 

“He won’t run away, Mr. Fox. Do you really trust him so little? Where would he go?“

“I don’t know. That’s why you must always stay with Forrester. We’ll take him back as soon I get released.“

 

Christina knocked at the door of the motel room. Ben opened it. He looked terrible. He was suffering from the same whiplash headache as Paul had. 

“Ben, what’s the matter with you?” she asked, horrified at his appearance. She entered the room where Ben spent the night. Christina didn’t see any sign of Forrester. 

“Where is Paul?”

“He’s on the ranch,” he answered.

“What?” she asked, stunned. “Are you out of your mind? I thought he’s with you!”

Ben sat on his bed and winced hearing her yelling. His headache was really bad and her loud voice didn’t make it any better.

“Do you have something for my head? It’s killing me,” he complained.

Christina almost exploded, but looked in her bag for painkillers. “Ben Wylie, what kind of an agent are you?” she asked him, furious, but at the same time gave him the pills and the water bottle, which stood on the night drawer. “You left a prisoner alone. What if Fox finds out about that? He’ll fire you instantly. I would too, only I’m your wife and you know I’ll cover you. Now get dressed. We’re driving to the ranch and see how our ‘prisoner’ is. If he’s not there, I’m telling Fox what you did. I swear it, Ben, I will!”

 

Some days ago Richard had cut the grass and now it was dry enough to be harvested. On the way to the field, Paul and Scott sat in the wagon and Paul ate one of the sandwiches. He hoped he could manage the hard work to the satisfaction of the others. When Richard reached their destination, he stopped the tractor and explained the procedure to Paul again. He drove on slowly. 

In the beginning, Paul didn’t get along at all with his task. He was in the second half of the wagon, and his job was to neatly stack the bales Scott tossed him from the baler. Scott’s physical condition was much better than his father’s. He’d done this kind of work for ten years now. Paul was breathing hard soon after they’d started working and he took off his jacket because the sweat was running down his back. 

They worked steady for more than an hour, until the wagon was full. Richard stopped the tractor. He came to the rear and helped Scott and Paul off the wagon. Both men were hot, but he saw Forrester was exhausted and barely able to stand straight. He reckoned Paul needed a break and suggested it. They accepted with gratitude. They sat on a tarp Richard brought from the tractor and Scott got the lunch box his mother had packed. She had packed something for Richard too. He’d brought his own lunch, but his eyes beamed joyfully when he saw Jenny had thought of him as well. Paul had recovered a little and was very grateful for the short rest. 

“We’ll unload this in the barn and drive back for the second load. I think we’ll be done then,” Richard said. 

Paul didn’t like hearing that. It was clear that he wasn’t pleased at the prospect of doing this again. 

“A second load?“ 

“Yeah, Dad. What did you think?” Scott asked with amusement. “This makes muscles. It looks like you need to work out a lot more. Farm work is better than any gym.“ 

Paul groaned loudly and the rancher couldn’t help stifle a laugh while he ate his sandwich.

“I think I have something that could make our work much easier,“ Paul countered skillfully and pulled his sphere from his jeans pocket. 

“What’s that?” Richard asked, then took a guess. “Is that the sphere you brought from your planet that Jenny mentioned in her book?”

“Yes,” he answered and handed it to him when he expressed interest in wanting to see it and hold it in his hands. Richard examined the marble, feeling its weight and returned it to Paul.

“It looks like a pinball. If you’re such a fine extraterrestrial, as Jenny and Scott say you are, then show me something with it. I know all the stories, so you don’t have any excuses.”

Scott listened to Mr. Hayward’s argument, but kept silent. His father wasn’t sure whether he should really use the sphere for a demonstration and skillfully shifted the attention off him. 

“My son has one of these too. He should show you what can be done with it,“ he said seriously.

“Is that true?” Richard asked. When Scott nodded, he questioned him further. “So, show me what you can do,” he challenged. The young man felt like he was being pushed into a corner and tried to get out of it. 

“No. I can’t do anything. Honestly! Dad’s the expert.”

“You know what I think?” Richard said. “I think Jenny made all this craziness up, and your father is nothing more than an escaped convict.” He turned to face Paul with disgust. “I want you out of here right now or I’m going to call the police.”

“No, Richard! You can’t!” Scott begged his boss, truly scared. 

“Then prove what Jenny said is true,“ he said, confident they couldn’t.

Scott looked at his father and Paul held out his sphere. After taking a deep breath, he concentrated on the silver marble and the tractor started all by itself. Richard jumped up and watched while the baler also turned itself on and spit out another bundle. Paul grinned having proven his claim and closed his hand around the orb, deactivating it. The tractor and baler turned off. Richard was staring dumbfounded at the farm equipment, and then at Forrester and Scott. He wanted to run, but neither of the two seemed inclined to harm him, so he began to calm down. He now realized everything Jenny told him was true. He looked at Paul again in amazement. This man, who had helped him bale hay was an ET, in the body of a man. He felt the sudden need to sit down before his legs gave out on him.

“Are you all right?” Forrester asked the rancher and noticed he turned pale.

“Oh Lordy! All those years I thought she was talking nonsense. I knew she had a creative imagination, but I never really thought it was true! I don’t know what to say. I’ve never talked to an alien before.” He laughed. “Can you show me that one more time?“ 

“What if someone sees us?“ Paul asked, trying to downplay the display.

“Oh, yes,“ Richard agreed, mindless of his question. It was stupid of him to ask, but how often does one get a chance to meet someone with such unusual abilities?

“I think Scott can do something simple like put the hay bale on top of the wagon,” he suggested to his son, referring to the bale the machine ejected with his display. Richard looked at the young man again, so did Paul. 

“Can you show me, Scott?“ the rancher wanted to know, still not completely sure how he should accept the whole experience. He was still unsure if he should fear these two, or trust them, but he reasoned Scott had already worked for him for such a long time and he found nothing in Scott he should fear, so he decided to trust them.

“I can’t, Dad.“ 

“Yes, you can,“ Paul urged him on.

Scott was finally persuaded to try the task. He took out his sphere. Despite his most intensive concentration, the orb shone weakly in the beginning. With euphoric curiosity, Richard stood beside him. When he still hadn’t had any success, Scott wanted to give up. 

“I can’t do it, Dad. You can see it’s not working for me,“ he deplored desperately, the sphere still weakly lit in his open hand. Paul saw Scott needed his help and guidance, so he activated his own sphere again. It obeyed him instantly. 

“Concentrate. Let the strength of the sphere follow your thoughts. Go into the light. It is so simple,“ he instructed him gently. 

Scott kept trying and achieved some success after a short while. His sphere shone brighter than before. Thinking about his father’s words, the blue light coalesced around the bale and it lifted up. His father stood next to him with his activated sphere. Suddenly Scott heard his father ‘speak’ to him, without uttering a word aloud. _“You did that well. Now put the bale on top.”_ Paul’s words, which Scott ‘heard’ again coming from inside, confused and frightened him. Without intending to, he dropped the sphere, ending the magic. Forrester quickly took over and ‘caught’ the hay when it started to fall. With precise control, he put the bale on top of the loaded wagon.

“That was great,” Richard said, not noticing it was Paul who finished the task. “What else can you do?“ 

Furious with himself, and a little angry at his father, Scott picked up his sphere.

“Dad! I don’t like it when you do that. You made me bungle everything.“ 

“I’m sorry. Don’t be mad at me. You did very well. And you understood me.”

Fascinated by the small instrument, Richard learned that the sphere was capable of doing much more than he imagined. “You two can communicate through that thing? Will it work for me?” 

“No,” Paul replied, not wanting the rancher to get too excited. “It only works with aliens and their descendants,” he said, referring to Scott in a playful tone. Scott however, reacted sourly and didn’t want to encourage his father to further acts. With a quiet groan, he went to where they were sitting before on the blanket. On the way there, he noticed the sphere he carried activated itself. His father ‘spoke’ again. _“You did that very well, Scott. Please don’t be angry at me any longer, okay?”_ He stopped abruptly, but didn’t turn to face his dad or Richard. 

_“I’m not angry, but can we finally stop this, please?”_ he thought and sat down. When he looked over to the other two, he saw Paul pocketing his sphere and walking to him with Richard behind him. They joined him on the tarp. Richard was still caught between joy and fear, although joy was winning out.

“I heard what you thought,“ Paul whispered to his son and Scott looked at him in surprise.

“You did?“ 

He didn’t answer, but pushed Scott teasingly in the arm. He was pleased he could wake such wonderment in his son over such a simple thing that was normal for him. Richard meanwhile, was busy with his own thoughts. 

“Now it’s clear why you must go away. They want to take you back and lock you up again. Can you forgive me for my earlier rudeness?“ 

Paul had turned an initial enemy into a friend again. He held out his hand for Richard to shake.

 

Christina and Ben arrived at the ranch. There was no sign of anyone.

“Ben, if he ran you are in big trouble and I won’t be able to help you. If Fox finds out you left him alone, he’ll cut your head off. It was you who left him all alone against regulations. You lied to me when you said he was outside guarded by a police officer, didn’t you?”

“Yes, I lied. Okay, so what?” Ben told her. “I encouraged him to run. That’s probably the reason why everybody’s missing.”

At first, she thought he made a joke, but when she saw his face she knew he wasn’t kidding her.

“You encouraged him to run? Oh Ben!“ She couldn’t believe what he’d done. As the seconds passed, she calmed down and tears appeared in her eyes. “What did he say?“ 

“He said he won’t go. He doesn’t want to put his son in danger and he doesn’t want to break the deal.“

Hearing that, her face brightened. Maybe there was still a chance to sweep this under the rug. 

“That’s a relief, but I’m still very worried. Ben, I’m very disappointed in you. I know you have difficulty understanding why we must keep Forrester in the lab, but you didn’t help him at all by encouraging him to run.”

“This is his only chance to have a normal life. He’s not getting any help from you, or Fox or anybody,” he stubbornly shouted. “I don’t want to see him suffer there anymore. That’s why I did what I did. It’s pure torture how you’re treating him, and you know it!”

“Running is not the answer either, and you should have known better. It won't make him happier in the long term,” Christina argued. “First we have to find out where he is. I’ll drive to the cabin and you check out here.” 

She was furious, but at the moment she just wanted to find Forrester. She quickly got in the car and drove up to the cabin. Ben hoped the reason for Forrester’s being missing was he had run, but where was Mr. Hayward? Except for some horses in the pasture, the property seemed to be abandoned.

 

Jenny had just begun to pack some things into a small traveling bag, which she wanted to take with her to Mexico when she heard a knock at the door. It was impossible that the haying was already done, therefore she reasoned it had to be someone else. She had an immediate sense of panic overwhelm her, but she forced herself to calm down before she jumped to conclusions.

“Mrs. Hayden?“ she heard a woman’s voice calling loudly outside. Jenny took all her courage and hurried downstairs. Sparky naturally followed her. She took a deep breath to keep her control before she opened the door. A very attractive, slim woman with shoulder length blonde hair stood in front of her. 

“Mrs. Hayden,“ Christina greeted politely and continued. “My name is Christina Larson-Wylie. We met many years ago. Do you remember?“ 

“Did you think I would forget you?” Jenny snapped back. “What do you want?” she asked angrily.

“It concerns Paul. Is he here? May I step in?”

“No, you may not come in,” she said and stayed by the entrance, blocking the unwelcome woman’s entry. “What do you want with him?”

“Is he inside?”

“No.”

Now Christina became really alarmed. “Where is he Mrs. Hayden?” she demanded with a stern voice.

“You answer my question first,” Jenny countered. “What do you want with Paul?” she asked again and stared at the woman. Jenny already knew the answer and fired back icily, “You came to take him back, didn’t you?”

“Mrs. Hayden, I regret that you found out he was alive the way you did. I can only imagine how you must have felt when you saw him standing there in front of you when you believed he was dead. I admit I’m the one who told you he died and showed you the picture of his body, but it was the only way to stop you from attempting endless rescues of him. At the time I believed it was the best thing to do. It was a mistake for Mr. Fox to bring him with us now.”

Jenny was outraged. “The best thing? A mistake?” she fumed with rage. “You lied to us. You locked him up for eighteen years like a wild animal! You gained his knowledge by threatening him with our son’s imprisonment. You kept him isolated with no outside contact to his family. Now you have the nerve to come here and dare to tell me you’re taking him back! The biggest mistake you’ve made lady, is thinking we’ll just hand him over to you without a fight!” she finished and stepped back to shut the door, but Christina wedged her foot in and pushed the door open, coming inside the house.

“Get the hell out!” Jenny shouted.

Sparky sensed the stranger was a threat to his master and began barking at her, making repeated attempts to snap at the woman.

“Call the dog off!” Christina warned, but Jenny didn’t heed her request. “Call him off now, or I’ll arrest you and charge you with assault.”

Jenny heard the order and told Sparky to cease his attacks. She would not jeopardize their escape plan.

“Where is he?” she asked again.

Jenny ignored her question. “Can’t you understand I love him? It doesn’t matter to me where he comes from. We even had a child together. Why can’t you accept that he also has a right for a life? He’s not dangerous. Surely you must know that after all these years.”

“I know Paul very well, surely as well as you do. He’s told you I’m his doctor?” Jenny nodded. “I’m also his friend and the last person who wants to see him suffer. These last few weeks he was very depressed. Mr. Fox learned about your book from my husband. He thought it would be a good idea to take Paul with him to talk to you about pulling it. Fox thought seeing you and Scott would put new life in him. It seems to me it’s only opened up old wounds.”

Jenny’s rage subsided slightly and she implored the woman, “Please Christina. Stop this insanity. You said he’s depressed. Who wouldn’t be if you’re locked up behind bars, although you committed no crime? All he wants is to live on Earth in peace, with his family. Let him stay here. You would get everything you want from him if you simply let him remain here with me and Scott. Why must you keep him locked up?”

“Mrs. Hayden! My God, he’s a being from another star! We can’t simply let him live here with you. He’s much too valuable to us and he could get in danger.“ 

“Yes, he is from another star! He’s an emissary from his world to ours,” she argued. “He should be treated like an ambassador or visiting king, entitled to all the privileges that implies, not like some serial killer awaiting execution on death row!”

“I don’t decide that alone.”

“You believe you can take better care of him at this research center? Paul told me about Fox’s successor, Dr. Mortimer.”

Christina tried to downplay her fear. “Yes, he’s scared of Dr. Mortimer because Mortimer showed a scientific interest in him.”

“He says this Dr. Mortimer wants to experiment on him.”

“Nonsense! Paul has an unnecessary fear of him. I am the person who Dr. Mortimer must get permission from before he can do any tests on him. In addition, I’m Paul’s medical support and I won’t permit anything that would endanger him.”

Jenny was angered again. “You’ve done enough tests on him! Leave him alone!”

“Mrs. Hayden, I don’t want to be your enemy. Let me talk with Mr. Fox and we could arrange a visiting agreement. I don’t think he’d have anything against it.“ 

“A visiting agreement! That’s not good enough. He should be freed. How would you like to be treated if you could visit his world? How do you think you’d feel if they decided to lock you up in a cage forever?” Jenny searched Christina’s face and saw she couldn’t expect any help from the woman.

“There is another thing I have to tell you,” Mrs. Wylie said. “I know my husband talked with Paul about running. I hope you are aware that it would be stupid of you to talk him into an escape. You wouldn’t get far with him. You do know that, don’t you?“ 

“We spoke about it.“ 

“I ask you, Mrs. Hayden, be reasonable. It would not please the general in Washington, to who the research center is accountable, if Paul is runs away now. You must realize that the agreement we made with you and Paul, because of Scott, would become invalid. So remember, if you try to run away with him, I can no longer protect him or your son.“ 

“Paul said as much.“ 

Because she appeared to be reasonable so far, Christina was conciliated. “It’s really better this way.“ 

They heard the tractor coming back to the barn.

“It’s them,” Jenny said.

Christina said nothing and left to go to meet Paul. Jenny followed her.

Ben ran to the tractor, opened the passenger side door and urged them to get out quickly. Paul, Scott and Richard had seen him waiting since they came around the corner. The agent couldn’t believe his eyes. 

“Why for heaven’s sake are you still here? Why didn’t you run as I told you?” Ben barked at Paul and waited until he and Scott climbed down from the tractor. Richard came around from the other side and greeted the agent.

“You look terrible, Ben,” Paul said instead, avoiding the answer to his question. Ben had a black eye, a swollen nose and he had a stiff neck from the whiplash. 

“Well, I probably do. I haven’t had time to shave or shower. Christina was released today and she got very angry when she found out I left you all alone yesterday.”

“Have you told her about the spheres?” Scott asked Ben.

“No. Don’t let her see it or she’ll take us both into custody. You still haven’t answered my question, Paul. Why are you still here, helping Mr. Hayward harvesting the hay?” 

Paul looked to Scott. “We must trust him with the plan.”

“Are you nuts, Dad? Don’t tell him!” 

“He’s on our side. Have you forgotten? Ben was the one who stole the spheres.”

“Yes, but he’s still an agent.”

“He’s also my friend.”

Paul looked a long time at Ben, then told him of the new mission. “I’ll try an escape when we drive back, not earlier. Scott and Jenny will go to the Mexican border. I’ll try to follow them.” 

For a long moment Ben thought about the venture. “It’s risky.”

“Yes, I know, but I won’t run together with Scott or Jenny or if I don’t know they are in safety.”

“All right, Paul. Do it your way. I’ll help you as much I can. I have to tell you something else,” Ben went on to inform him, “Christina won’t let you stay here for another night. She intends to take you back now. We’ll be back tomorrow because Fox want to speak with Mrs. Hayden about the book.”

“We need to finish the work with the hay. I won’t run.”

“Don’t tell me, Paul. Tell her. If you want to stay, think of something.”

“You mean trick her?” Scott suggested, “Can you, Dad?”

“I hate to do that. It’s very unfair.”

“Well, do it or spend the night with Ben in a motel room,” Scott answered and showed again a roguish smile. “I’ll bet you want to stay with Mom, don’t you?” 

Paul thought about what he could do to avoid having to go back with the agents, while Richard was up in the loft and took a bundle of hay in which Scott had fastened by rope to a pulley block. Scott looked up and saw his mother and another woman coming toward him and his father. He became nervous. 

“Dad, look!“ 

Paul turned and saw Ben’s wife. “Yes, that’s Christina.“ 

Paul and Scott jumped down from the wagon and Richard came down from the loft. Ben approached the two ladies as well and greeted Jenny.

“Am I glad to see you, Paul!” Christina said relieved. Instead of eying him, she eyed her husband accusingly.

“Hello, Christina,“ Paul welcomed her. He was covered in sweat and everywhere he had bits of hay sticking to his clothes. “How are you and Mr. Fox?“ The female doctor was looking at Paul in amazement. He was quite a sight, looking every bit the farm hand. She grinned and almost laughed. It was hard to believe this Starman had gone haying. 

“I’m fine,” she answered. “I only have this small wound on my forehead. It’s nothing serious. Mr. Fox will most likely be released tomorrow. Ben complained about a bad neck pain from the accident yesterday. You seem to feel okay. I see you helped your son.”

“Yes, I did,“ he answered and introduced her to Scott. Christina offered her hand, but the young man did not take it. She withdrew the offer. 

“Paul’s told me so much about you,” she said. Scott would have liked to give the woman a piece of his mind, but he decided to stay calm and not end the meeting as he did with Ben yesterday. Finally, Richard welcomed the pretty lady.

“Paul, I need to speak to you in private,” she said and gestured they move a few steps away from the others. Apparently it was not far enough because they could hear some of the discussion. “Paul, Mr. Fox sent me to watch you. Ben left you alone yesterday and you know this is not to allowed. He told me about the discussion he had yesterday with you. Please don’t get the idea to run away from us. You know the government of this country sits at a higher level. I know Ben encouraged you to do just that, but I’m telling you to forget it. Please. I don’t want to see you get hurt during the escape or Mrs. Hayden or your son. I’ve already said as much to Jenny. I will speak with Mr. Fox and we will make a visiting arrangement with your family, so you can see them from time to time.”

“You won’t leave me here for another night?” he asked innocently.

“No. You know we can’t. Why are you asking?”

“I won’t run. I could have done it yesterday or today. You’ll see I’ll be here tomorrow when you come. I just want to spend a little more time with Jenny and my son. Please let me stay. We won’t have to tell Fox you left me, okay?”

“No. It’s out of the question. You’ll return with me this evening.”

Paul wasn’t satisfied with her answer at all. He would try again later. “Can I help them finishing the work with the hay?” he asked, hoping she would allow him at least this.

“All right, we’ll watch you.”

He went back to tell them she granted him permission to stay until the work was finished. “And then?” Scott wanted to know. Paul didn’t give him an answer, he just took him by the shoulder and pushed him back to work. Jenny had heard the discussion. She wondered what he would do when Christina wanted to drag him back to the motel room.

Paul, Scott and Richard hurried to store the hay in the loft. Then they drove with the empty wagon to the field again, followed by Christina and Ben in their rental car. Jenny decided to stay at home. She was too upset to spend the day watching the men, together with the agents. On the way there, they had to use the main street for a short time. Richard noticed that many fire brigade cars waiting off on the side. 

“I’m going to ask them how it looks,” he shouted back and stopped the trailer, getting off to talk to the firemen. Paul and Scott listened with interest.

“Hello, Jim,“ the rancher greeted the man standing by his car. 

“Hey, hello Richard!“ the fireman replied. 

Paul noticed the two men knew each other.

“How does it look?“ Richard asked his friend.

“We’re working non-stop. Have you heard the news? The wind’s blowing sparks closer and closer to the forest and the houses are catching fire. McCurtney’s barn burned today. We just came from fire fighting. It think it’ll get worse tonight. Do you have any problems yet?”

“No, not yet, but I’m afraid of it. Can you imagine if my ranch starts to burn? My father built the stables and the paddocks right in the middle of the forest. The paddocks are all surrounded by trees. You know there’s only one driveway to my ranch. At the moment I have thirty-three horses in my stables. I wouldn’t know what to do if it started to burn.”

“I can understand you. All I can advise is to be watchful. Sprinkle the barn and house with the hose, so it won’t burn easily if you get flying sparks. The fires moved closer and closer in the last two days to Solvang. We’re doing what we can. We requested helicopters. They fly as often as they can.“ 

“Thanks for the advice.” The rancher was still very concerned about his ranch.

“Chin up Richard.“ 

“Yeah Jim. I must go. I want to bring in the hay today before it’s smoked completely!”

Jim chuckled. “You do that. So long,” he said as Richard mounted his tractor.

They spent noon and early afternoon filling the wagon up with the second load of hay. This time Paul and Scott breathed harder because the sun beat down on them incessantly. They rested only once for a short while, though Paul and Scott were both exhausted. Christina found it hot too and she and Ben remained in the car. They had the air-conditioner running. Ben’s headache got a little better, but he obviously had the same whiplash as Paul this morning.

“I’ll give you another pain reliever when we’re in the motel, okay?” she said to him. “I wonder why Paul feels nothing at all. Sometimes I want to be an alien too.”

“He’s probably in pain also, but he doesn’t dare show it in front of you. If he did, you would drag him to the motel right away,” Ben said with closed eyes in his seat, which he had put back in the resting position.

“Do you want to start arguing again?” she raised her voice at him.

“You don’t listen to what I’m saying anyway.”

“You’re unfair, honey,” Christina said, offended. “The situation is not as black and white as you see it. Listen Ben, we both want the same thing. You’ll see when I can talk Fox into giving them visitation rights, the situation will get better for Paul, believe me.”

“Dear, you still haven’t understood what he needs. He needs freedom. I hate to think of tomorrow when Fox drags him back.”

She didn’t answer. Instead, she asked, “How long do you think they’ll need until they are finished?” 

“I don’t know. Probably a couple of hours.”

“I want to see Fox before we take him back to the motel.”

“Why?”

“To tell him how Paul is and to talk with him about the visiting agreement.”

“Will you tell him I left him alone yesterday?”

“No, but Ben, I want you to know how disappointed I am in you. If I wasn’t your wife I would tell him, but you know I’ll cover you because it is you. This was unfair of you.” 

He was silent. 

Ben straightened up and both got out of the car. She told the others where she was going and left.

 

After visiting the Hayward ranch, Christina visited Fox. He was watching the news on television. They were constantly warning about fire danger. As she walked into the room, he turned off the TV with the remote control.

“Hello, Mr. Fox.“ 

“Hello Christina. How was your visit?“ he asked and straightened up in bed and looked forward to hearing her report. She sat in the visitor’s chair. 

“It was amazing, sir. You should see him. His depression is completely gone. I’ve never seen him so relaxed and happy. Right now he’s helping his son and Mr. Hayward with haying. They were storing the bales in the barn loft.”

George was pleased that Paul was so well again. “It’s good to hear this trip has helped him. The accident was lucky for him, not so much for us though,” he chuckled. 

Christina had a sad look on her face and he waited for her to explain what she was thinking.

“It was a little uncomfortable, Mr. Fox, to meet Mrs. Hayden again and her son. She was absolutely furious at me when I introduced myself to her. I thought she may have forgotten who I was, but I was wrong. She looked ready to kill me. They are still just as protective of Paul as we are.” She looked directly at her boss. “I believe we should no longer keep them away from him. Mrs. Hayden begged me, implored me, to leave him with her. She told me they were going to fight to keep him.”

“Oh she did, did she?” George said with a grin. “I hope you told her she’d lose.”

Christina shook her head. 

“Paul showed up then and we kind of left the argument in mid-air. Sir, if we can promise them they’d be allowed to see him, she might agree and let him go before things get ugly and we’re forced to take him from her. If they can visit him regularly, that would be ideal for everyone.”

“We’ll see about that. Maybe we can arrange something if they want it. I doubt that Scott would go voluntarily into the place without being forced. Mrs. Hayden would gladly move in with Forrester if I let her, I have no doubt of that for a second. She is very naive in this connection. She was also naive enough to get involved with him sexually, even though he kidnapped her and forced her to drive him to the crater. You’ve met the result of it.“ 

Christina grinned at his reference to Scott. “Yes, I met him. He’s an impressing young man, though I could tell he hates me as much as Mrs. Hayden does. I doubt either of them will ever forgive us for lying to them and telling them Paul was dead.”

“Yes, I figured as much,” he replied. “Oh, I wanted to ask you, how is Ben’s nose? It isn’t broken, is it?“ 

“No, thank goodness. Ben accompanies Paul the whole time, but he hasn’t helped them with the work at all. He says he’s not getting paid for it, and today he’s not feeling good either. He’s got whiplash from the accident. He should be in bed.”

George smiled. He told her he was being released from the hospital tomorrow. She got up to leave.

“Pay special attention to the fire bulletins,” he warned her. “If it heads to the ranch, you and Ben get Forrester out of there immediately. Is that clear?”

 

Richard, Paul, Scott and Ben drove home. The three men finished the last task of the job, storing all the hay in the loft. The Cantrell’s came by in between and asked about the progress with their horse, Rasputin. The rancher apologized to them, telling them he had to harvest his fields before the fires consumed it all. They understood his concern. They were worried about the fire as well and took the horse home with them as a precaution. While Richard, Scott and Paul finished the last of storing the hay after talking to the Cantrell’s, Jenny came to her ex-husband and told him some of the girls said one of the mares was acting strangely.

“Jessica said Fly Away was behaving oddly. She isn’t eating her hay or feed.”

“Yes, I know,” Richard said. “She’s hardly touched her food. Have you noticed anything, Scott?“ he asked him, hoping he had more news about the horse. 

“I fed her as you wrote down the instructions,” he answered. “Since you took her from the paddock, she’s being pretty stubborn. She even tried to bite me.” 

Now Richard wanted to look at the mare. He put away his tools, and thought about the horse, wondering what her problem was. Scott, Paul and Jenny followed the rancher to Fly Away’s stall. At that moment, Christina came back from visiting Fox.

“Paul!” she cried out to him as she got out of the car. “It’s late. We’re going now.”

He didn’t like to hear that at all. He’d been so busy the last few hours, he almost forgot about her. He made no attempts to leave until Christina took him by the arm and pushed him away. 

“Come on. We’ll be back tomorrow morning. I agreed to let you stay this afternoon, but now you must come with us.”

“No, I don’t want to. Please let me stay.”

She was tired arguing with him. “No, you’re not staying,” she insisted.

“Ben?” Paul asked, looking at the agent for help. He just shrugged and went to stand by the car. There was nothing he could do. 

“Please let him stay, Mrs. Wylie,” Jenny begged her. “You don’t have to tell Fox you left him alone again. We won’t say anything. You can come tomorrow with Ben and Fox and tell him you drove up earlier with Paul. Nobody will find out.”

“I’m sorry. I kept quiet about leaving him once. This time he’s coming with us,” she said and looked at Paul. “You won’t die if you spend the night with us instead of Jenny. Come. Now,” Christina demanded and pulled on his arm again. He allowed her to lead him away, then looked back to the remaining three people and stopped.

“Paul, that’s enough!” she said, angry at his stubbornness and foolishness. “Do you want me to handcuff you? I will if you make me.” She grabbed his wrist.

He looked the female doctor in her eyes, but still stood his ground. “I thought we were friends.”

“I thought that too, but friends don’t resist like you’re doing.“ 

He concentrated harder, still staring deeply into her eyes. “Christina, I promise you I’ll be here tomorrow when you come. Let me stay.”

Scott, Richard and Jenny were standing there, watching and listening to the interplay. Christina started to look as if she were caught in a trance. Long seconds passed before they heard her say, “Alright. You can stay. You promise you won’t run away?”

“Yes, I promise.”

She went to her husband and told him to get in the car.

When they were out of sight, Scott started to laugh. 

“What’s so funny?” Jenny asked him bewildered. Against her will, she had tears of joy in her eyes. “I can’t believe she changed her mind.”

“She didn’t,” Scott said, “Dad made her think she did though.” He looked at his father as he stood beside him. “You did the same thing to her like you did with Eric’s dad, right?” he asked, remembering when Paul talked to the man and made him change his mind about letting Forrester’s illegitimate son, Eric, come with them when they were on the run those many years ago.

He smiled. “Yes.”

“How long will it last?”

“If I’m lucky, perhaps until morning.”

Richard was confused and asked Paul to explain what he’d done.

“It has to do with make believe. It’s kind of like hypnotic suggestion.”

“Boy, she will be furious with you when she realizes you deceived her,” Scott warned him.

Paul nodded. “I know. But I can’t change that now.”

“Do you regret tricking her?” Jenny wanted to know. 

“No,” he answered, seeing how happy she was.

They were all silent for a moment, then Richard remembered he wanted to see the mare. They followed him in the stable. The horse stood all alone. The other horses were in the paddock. Fly Away was isolated because she had a wound on her leg, and according to the vet, she should stay inside until the leg had completely healed. Richard opened the stall door and went inside. Normally Fly stood in the stall with her daughter, Cassiopea, but Scott separated them and put the filly in the paddock.

“Okay Fly. What’s the matter with you? Why don't you want to eat?“ he softly asked her and held her by the halter. He patted her on her neck, and then unwrapped the bandage around her ankle. The wound was almost healed. He began feeling her all over with his hand, but could find nothing physically wrong. Jenny, Paul and Scott watched him but could offer Richard no advice. Suddenly the mare pointed her ears, lifted her head up and neighed. Her neighing echoed loudly in the stable. She heard the other horses in the pasture.

“I’ll bet she isn’t eating out of protest,” Scott suggested. “She wants to be with her filly and the other horses.”

“Nonsense!“ Richard responded. “I’ve never seen a horse that won’t eat because it must stay in the stable.”

“Perhaps she’s a sensitive horse,“ Paul offered. 

Richard laughed, then Scott joined him. 

“If she hasn’t eaten anything by evening, I’ll have to call the vet again,” the rancher said. “Sometimes I wish they could simply say where it hurts so I could help them. It’s difficult to find the cause of their pain when they can’t tell you. It could be anything. I’m a little concerned.”

“May I talk to her?“ Paul asked him and pulled out his sphere. 

“You can talk to her with that thing?” he asked, still doubtful.

“It’s not exactly talking like you and I are doing right now, but she can tell me where she hurts or what is disturbing her. I heard there are people who can do this without the sphere.”

Richard was hesitant at first. “I don’t know. That sounds kinda strange.”

“Let him try it,” Jenny suggested. “If Paul says he can talk to Fly Away, then let him.”

“All right.“ 

They looked around first to see if anyone else was there. No one was. 

“Okay, come in,” Richard said and stood back to watch the Starman. Paul greeted the mare at first by stroking her head and neck. 

“Hello Fly Away,“ he softly said. He kept one hand on the horse’s neck and concentrated on his sphere in the other hand. The orb lit up and the bluish glow surrounded Fly Away. Richard was worried the horse would freak out at the blue light, but she remained totally calm. She stood there motionless, for more than a minute. No one uttered a sound, fearing any sudden noise would spook the mare. From time to time, Richard, Scott and Jenny glanced at each other while they waited for the performance to end. When the blue light faded, Paul pocketed the sphere. Richard anxiously awaited his diagnosis.

“Well, what did she tell you? She did tell you something, didn’t she?“ 

“Yes. She has a problem.“ 

“What problem?“ 

“Scott is right. Normally she shares this stall with her child, but since she wears this bandage, she may not join the other horses. She said she’s disturbed because she’s all alone and separated from her little one.“ 

“What?“ the rancher responded, surprised. “Her foal is two years old,” he began, “Of course I had them separated. The foal doesn’t need to be breastfed anymore. Why should Cassie remain in the stable only because Fly wants it that way?” 

“I can only tell you that if you simply let her go to the others, she will start eating again. She said she would feel better if she could be with Cassiopea.”

“But her leg needs to be kept clean. If the wound gets infected …”

“I healed her leg,” Paul confessed.

Richard’s eyes widened to see no more evidence of the injury. He touched her leg again in wonder. The wound disappeared completely and nobody had noticed it.

“That’s amazing! Okay. Scott, open the door.”

Paul’s son did as his boss asked and Richard led the mare by her halter out of the stable. When she was outside in the fresh air, she neighed full of joy in Richard’s ear. He was annoyed by it, but he couldn’t grumble with her because she was pulling so heavily at the halter to get to the others in the pasture. Richard opened the gate and released his grip on her. Fly Away took off immediately at a gallop to the other mares and their foals. The other horses briefly lifted their heads to see who the new arrival was, recognized Fly Away and went back to quietly eating grass. Only Cassiopea left the group to joyfully join her mother. The two horses began to groom each other’s backs, which strengthened the friendship and bond to each other. The people leaned by the paddock fence, watching Fly Away and her filly interact with each other. After a few minutes, they both began to graze. Mother and daughter lifted their heads and ran together for the next tuft of grass like synchronized ice dancers.

“These crazy women,“ Richard teased. “That Fly Away really knows what she wants. If she is separated from Cassiopea, she invents all kind of things to be together with her again.” He was very pleased at the success. “Thank you Paul! You just saved me a ton of money for the vet.“ 

“You’re welcome. I’m just happy that she’s happy.” 

Richard offered Paul his hand and the two men shook hands. 

“It’s a shame you can’t stay. I could sure use someone like you here.“ 

The rancher’s words brought everyone back to reality. 

“Yes, I would like to stay here if I could. It’s so peaceful and so beautiful here.“ 

“Do you have to go away? I mean, is there no way to arrange it so you can stay?“ 

“I don’t think so. You have seen, if I don’t go back with them, they will get Scott, even though he can’t help them and is useless to them. I’m the one they want and they know they can control me through my son.”

Scott sensed his father was backing out of their plan and he was about to speak up when Paul said, “Don’t get excited again, okay?”

“Does that mean we drive tomorrow?“ Jenny asked uncertainly. 

“We do it as I said. Only when I know that both of you are safe in Mexico, I will attempt my escape. I can do that only if they don’t find out about my sphere before you reach the border.”

“What if they do?“ Richard inquired.

Paul looked at him. “Then I don’t know,” he said and looked at Scott and Jenny. “You drive to Mexico regardless. I have the uncomfortable feeling that you,” he said and looked at Scott, ”won’t be safe anymore, no matter how beautiful it is here. Ben is right. When I die one day, the government will come for you. You can’t help them, but you are still a part of me, which will particularly interest Mortimer.“ 

Jenny, Scott and Richard all felt cold chills run down their spines, knowing exactly what Paul’s words meant.

“You can die like we do?“ Richard wanted to know. 

“Of course. All living things eventually die. For me, it means this body would cease working first, and then I would shortly after that happens. Only the energy in the mother ship gave me the strength to detach myself from that body. Right now I am merged into the same cycle of life and death as you.“ He turned to Jenny and added, “I can’t leave this body for another one whenever I please. I’m stuck in this body of Paul Forrester, and just as vulnerable as you.“ 

She leaned into his chest and he took her into his arms, comforting her. It was obvious to them both they still had strong feelings for each other, even after all these years. Richard watched them and knew he’d never have Jenny back. He didn’t like the feeling of having lost. 

“Well,“ he said to Scott after a few moments, “Come to my place. I’ll give you your remaining wages and certification.“ 

Now everything became serious and Scott felt uncomfortable. He had a sudden knot in his throat. “Yeah, I will. Um, please excuses me, I need to pack my things.“ Before he left, he asked Richard, “Do you want me to lead the horses inside, or do you want to do it?“ 

“It’s okay, Scott. I’ll do it. Thank you for not letting me down today.“ 

They shook hands. Scott was deeply moved and hugged the rancher. He had to leave, though he didn’t want to. He hated running again in order prevent ending up at the research lab. He left everyone and went to his apartment without a further word.

“Thank you again Paul for your help,” he said and shook hands a second time.

“It was a lot of fun, even though it was exhausting for me.” 

“I’ll see you again tomorrow,” he said to Jenny, still held by Paul around her hips.

“Yes, we will,“ she answered with a hint of sadness. 

Both Jenny and Richard had much more to say, but now was not the right time to get sentimental, especially with Paul standing beside her. Jenny had ended their marriage a long time ago, but it was obvious Richard still wanted her.

 

Christina and Ben arrived back at the motel. Their ordered food came, and they started to eat. He said nothing to his wife about her leaving Paul all alone again, fearful any mention of it would break the magic spell Forrester cast on her. Secretly, he hoped the effect was permanent. Christina gave him some more pain medication for his throbbing head and stiff neck. He went to bed and she followed him. They fell asleep almost as soon as their heads hit the pillow.

###    
**Chapter 10**  


After he had showered and packed his things, Scott knocked on the door of Richard’s house. Mr. Hayward was expecting him and asked him to follow him into his living room. Scott had been in this room often, and each time he was impressed by its splendor. The walls were decorated with wooden panels, an enormous fireplace was in the center and heavy padded furniture stood in front. Expensive carpets were on the floor, and in each corner stood trophies Richard won during his breeding career. Everywhere were horse statues and photos of him and his price crowned horses. 

“Take a seat,“ Richard offered. Scott sat down on the couch, feeling a little nervous because of the situation. The rancher sat opposite him. On the coffee table lay two envelopes. “I guess it’s time we settle our business,“ he explained and reached for the envelopes. He handed Scott the one with the money. “Here’s 580 dollars. Your wages for half the month.“ 

“Why so much?“ he asked, surprised by the unusual amount.

“Give your father 60 dollars for today. I put 8 dollars per hour to his account. It’s normal assistant wages.“ Scott hadn’t counted on the bonus money at all. He cleared his throat and thanked him. The rancher handed him the second envelope. “This contains your certification. I haven’t done this very often. I hope it turned out to your satisfaction.“ 

Scott thanked him again, but declined to read it, trusting it was okay.

“It’s not easy for me to let you go buddy.“ 

“It’s not easy for me to leave you either, but you know why I must go. I only wanted you to know that I liked working for you a lot.“ 

Richard stood and went to his bar to pour both a glass of brandy. He came back and handed one to Scott. He sat down and both men touched their glasses in a toast. After they drank a sip, they set down the brandy and Richard pulled a note out of his jacket. He handed it to Scott. 

“This is the address of a friend in Mexico. As soon as you and your mother are over the border, you can call them. Tell them I sent you. They’ll take you in until you know how it goes.“ 

Scott’s eyes became large. He hadn’t expected such assistance. “Thanks. I don’t know what to say.“ 

“You were always like a son to me. You know that don’t you?“ 

An embarrassed smile came to Scott’s lips. “Well, you’ve been my stepfather for a while.” 

“I know,“ After a pause he said, “If it’s not working as you planned it, I’d like you to know that you, your mother, and also your father, can return here any time. There will always be a place for you.“ 

Scott was moved by his former employer’s words. It was hard enough to quit, but it was harder to lose him as a friend. 

“Thanks. Thank you for everything,“ he answered. He forced himself to snap out of the emotional turmoil. “So, who will help you until you’ve found a replacement for me?“ 

“Steve. I’ll probably have to do the rest alone. That’s no problem. Don’t worry.” 

“But he has exams at the university. How is that going to work?“ 

Mr. Hayward still wasn’t worried. “He can be here a few days for his father. You know, it’s a shame that neither of my two sons has an interest in working with horses. At least not really.“ 

It was a touchy subject. Scott knew it bothered Richard a lot that his children showed no desire to enter the business and they’d moved to the city after getting married. After his wife died, he’d spent the next fourteen years here virtually alone. With sons Steve and Harold gone, all that remained were the horses. Only when Jenny came into Richard’s world, did he find new meaning and purpose in his life. His sympathetic kindness won her attention. He made her come out of her own sadness and they fell in love. They married, but it lasted only a short time. Less than two years had gone by when he recognized Jenny’s heart still belonged to someone else. She complained all he cared about were his horses and she would always come in number two. They divorced, but stayed friends. He always hoped they’d get back together again. He missed her, even if he thought she was a little crazy. 

_“God, I hope he doesn’t start again about Mom. I couldn’t bear that today,”_ Scott thought. 

Richard pulled himself out of his train of thought. “Let’s eat. You’re invited. You like pizza?”

“You know I do!” he answered.

Scott was glad Richard didn’t want to continue the discussion of the topic with his sons and he was much more happier he hadn’t started pouring out his heart because of his mother as he did several times before. He would not have known what to say. 

Richard went to the kitchen. “Turn on the TV. I want to know if there’s any more news about the fires.“ 

 

Paul and Jenny spent that evening alone. It was getting dark when she straightened up. Paul had laid down on the couch and closed his eyes. Today’s hard work had exhausted him. His hands hurt even though Scott had given him gloves. There were no blisters, but they were still painful because he was not used to the heavy labor. He heard Jenny ask him something from the kitchen, but he was so tired, he hardly acknowledged it. When she came to check why Paul hadn’t answered, she saw he fell asleep. She decided to let him rest while she caught up on other work.

Richard and Scott watched the 8 PM news with special interest. The woman on the news was reading the wind report.

“Jesus! If the wind drives the fire to us, our forest will be charcoal sticks in minutes!” Richard said with obvious fear in his voice. “And the ranch will be nothing but ashes.” He had stopped sprinkling the stable because he figured it wouldn’t be much help. He’d have to stay up all night and be on guard, watching for sparks. _“Hopefully the winds won’t get too strong!”_

Scott knocked on the door of Jenny’s cabin, carrying a large traveling bag. He stepped in without waiting for her to answer his summons. Inside the room, he dropped the bag. Sparky was with Jenny in the kitchen and bolted down his dog food. The dog interrupted his meal and hurried barking to the new guest. Scott saw his father sleeping and snoring on the couch. 

“Shhh, be quiet!!“ he admonished the dog. Sparky obeyed. 

Together they went to Jenny in the kitchen. She was busy drying the flatware and stowing it away. 

“Hi!“ Scott greeted her and she returned the greeting. 

“Have you given him beer, because he’s snoring again?“ he asked teasingly. 

Jenny chuckled. “No, he isn’t used to the work. Let him rest a little. Has Richard given you your wages?“ 

“Yes, and I brought my things along. Do you want me to put it in your car?“ 

“Do that.“ 

“Mom, Richard gave me the address of friends of his. They have a ranch in Mexico. We could stay there for a while until we know how it goes.” 

“That’s really nice of him. We owe him a lot.“ 

“I know. It was hard when he handed me my certification. He says his son Steve will help him until he finds a replacement for me,“ he said sadly.

“You’ll see, everything will be fine. I told you your father would return again. Only that everything is so complicated, I couldn’t know.“ 

She wasn’t able to comfort him with that. Scott wasn’t in the mood to discuss it further anyway.

“I’ll go then and look one more time after the horses. I won’t see them anymore!“ 

Without waiting for a comment, he turned and went out of the house. He grabbed his traveling bag and put it into the trunk of Jenny’s car. 

“Hello sleepyhead,“ Jenny whispered in Paul’s ear and stroked his head. “Wake up. It’s late.“ 

Paul opened his eyes with great effort. He barely reacted when she kissed him gently on the cheek. He just had been awaked from the best sleep in ages. 

“You have been resting for more than an hour now. Wake up, honey!“ she instructed him gently. He straightened up slowly. He was still very tired and yawned passionately. When he stood, he noticed how rigid his muscles had become and how much his back hurt. Jenny noticed immediately what was wrong, when she saw his movement and how he rose with his hand on his lower spine.

“I’m not accustomed to that kind of work. My back feels like it’s broken. I think I’ve turned into an old man, Jenny Hayden,“ he deplored and seeked sympathy. She grinned and stood. 

“Nonsense. Scott felt exactly the same when he started here ten years ago. I’ll make a suggestion. I’ll make you a hot bath. You’ll feel much better afterwards.“ 

They went upstairs together, followed by the small dog. Sparky went in his bed and chewed on his dog bone. Paul had to wait until Jenny filled the tub. He saw she had packed a small traveling bag. Her computer notebook was on. It had an interesting screen saver. Small multicolored fish moved over the screen, acting like real fishes. Paul forced himself to sit down in the chair by the notebook, despite his back pain. He had never seen such a thing before and it fascinated him. The back pain was nearly forgotten. He wanted to touch the digital fishes, but his finger pressure created only a disturbance on the screen surface. As soon as he removed his finger, everything went back to normal. Curious like a child, he decided to press a key and the screen saver disappeared. He thought he had broken the machine and became frightened. At that moment, Jenny came out of the bath and he stood up to block her view.

“What’s the matter?“ she said and smiled, surprised by his strange behavior. 

“It’s nothing.“ 

“Oh, come on! What are you hiding?“ Jenny teased him and came closer to find out what it was. She saw the computer and figured he must have played with it.

“Oh,“ Jenny said, “You wanted to read my new book. No way Hossey! Come. The bath is ready.“ She pulled him seductively into the bathroom. Paul was glad he wasn’t in trouble and followed her, although he turned his head to see what he had done. The notebook showed only the normal Windows surface.

The water was pleasantly warm, and smelled seductively. Jenny sat down on the edge and looked at him, expecting him to undress. 

“Well?” she encouraged him. It was somehow unpleasant for him to unclothe in front of her eyes, but he asked himself why he should be ashamed? Christina had seen him naked a hundred times. He had to admit, it felt a little strange because the female doctor observed him each time just as Jenny did now. Paul took off his dirty, sweaty shirt. Small pieces of hay fell to the floor. Before he unbuttoned his jeans and removed his underwear, he asked, “Do you want to join me in the water?“ 

She only shrugged, but then she smiled at him the way it was so typical for her. “Okay!“ 

Paul raised his brow and waited. What would she do now? To his disappointment, she left the bath and closed the door. From outside she called, “Climb in. I’ll be back in a minute!” 

As she requested, he stripped completely and entered the tub. It was wonderful! The water was hot and the foam tickled his skin. He spread out in the tub and dipped his head under water. He rested his head on the edge. His back pain was now nearly forgotten. The door opened. Jenny stood in front of him wearing only a bathrobe. She had a small candle in her hand and placed it in the corner of the tub. From the vanity, which stood beside the washbasin, she got out a large bath sponge and put it on the tub edge. Paul waited attentively and curiously what she would do next. She switched off the light and slowly removed her bathrobe. The light of the candle played on her body. His glance slid down her tender body and he noticed a tension in his manhood. Jenny was still a very attractive woman with well-formed hips and breasts, perfectly matching her slim figure. She then joined him in the tub. The atmosphere was very romantic. 

“Do you want me to rub you with the sponge?“ she asked. It was a long time since they were so intimate together. In this connection, she treated him without shyness. She pointed him to turn around and he did. She glided the warm sponge over his back. After some minutes he turned around again. Paul looked at her for a long time. He was especially fascinated by her breasts, looming half way out of the foam. Jenny turned without request and placed herself in his lap. Paul liked that very much. Without comment, he began to rub with the sponge over her body, particularly treating her breasts. He squeezed out the sponge over them and observed the warm water running down, before he filled up the sponge again. He was deep in thoughts, which she didn’t share. Suddenly, she asked, “Paul, what will happen tomorrow when they come? I fear that so much. I fear for you and our son.“ 

“I don’t know what will happen, Jenny,“ he answered quietly after a second, still stroking her with the sponge. 

“You can’t do anything if they find out about your sphere, can you?“ 

He didn’t answer, but for her it was answer enough. She turned and faced him. “You don’t really believe that we can be ever together, do you?“ 

His answer was short, but absolutely honest. “No, not really. The chances are against us and you know that.“ 

For a long time she looked at him, then her eyes filled with tears. 

“Then what are we doing here, if tomorrow everything is over?“ she asked angrily and climbed out of the tub. She hastily tightened the belt of the bathrobe around her and left the room. 

The romantic atmosphere had changed in few seconds into a fiasco. He climbed out of the tub as well, disappointed by her anger. He switched on the light and blew out the candle. Paul wondered what had made her suddenly so sore, but basically she was right. Why should he emotionally bind her to him when tomorrow everything was so uncertain? He looked into the mirror. Why did he have so much fear of simply running away with her and Scott, without waiting for tomorrow? He knew the answer. The consequences were such that if they were captured, he simply couldn’t risk it. The price he had to pay would be too high.

A short time later, Paul came out of the bathroom, wearing only a towel around his hips. The light in the bedroom was off. He glanced at the notebook. The screen saver was on again. It made bubbling noises like an aquarium. Jenny stood at the open window and looked into the sky with its bright stars. Far away she could see some fires, disturbing the scenery a little. There was smoke in the outside air. Jenny closed the window again. Of course she heard him coming, but didn’t react at all. Paul approached her and stopped behind her. She turned to him briefly and he noticed she had cried by the mist in her eyes. Paul had no clue how he should comfort her. He gently stroked over her long black hair. He stood very close to her and put an arm around her. Both looked for a while silently out of the window and observed the view. 

_“Her hair smells so wonderful,”_ Paul thought and wished they could put their worries aside for this night. The more closely he stood by her body, the more he wanted her. She was so attractive and he felt a strong sexual need for this woman. The body not only felt it, but his spirit as well. It was such a long time ago since they had made love and now she denied it, knowing it would perhaps be the last time. He stroked again her head, until she turned half way to him. Their glances met. 

“Love me one more time, Jenny Hayden. Let me feel your body one more time.“ 

Jenny couldn’t do anything except stare at him. From where has he got such beautiful words? They were poetry. Paul took over the initiative from now on. He pulled her in his arms and began to kiss her gently, then more and more passionately. He stripped off her bathrobe and pulled her to the bed. There, they made love, and their bodies sought absolute fulfillment in the game of love.

###    
**Chapter 11**  


It was 11 PM and the first gusts of wind arrived. The breeze drove the fire, which was still far away in the night, closer to Richard’s property. The sparks danced in the air and were distributed by the wind. They settled down everywhere. They could hardly cause any damage to the paddocks, but as soon as they hit a high tree, the tree started to glow. The wind worked like an accelerant. Soon, the first trees were on fire. Richard stood in front of his house and observed the situation. He had called the fire brigade. They promised to come as soon as possible. A neighbor’s stable was ablaze, and since he wasn’t endangered at the moment, they had to fight the fire there first. Scott stood beside him and watched just as helpless. 

“Go and look after the horses,” Richard said. “I’ll sprinkle the stable and the house with the hose. I can’t do more.“ 

The young man obeyed. Scott had never experienced such a situation before. He was scared and his heart raced. What would happen if the stable started to burn, or the fire in the trees grew worse? The wind stirred the dust up. The smoke blew in clouds over the yard. Moved by panic, Scott ran into the stable. Twice glowing embers flying in the air hit him. Frightened neighing greeted him there. The animals knew something was wrong. A few nervous horses kicked against the stalls. Scott could do nothing. He just wanted to see if they were well. He ran outside and saw the rancher with the hose. He sprayed the roof, but it was like fighting against windmills. The wind got stronger. Everything went up so suddenly. A look at the trees told them they needed to act now. A majority of the tall trees burned, and now the ones planted at the driveway to the ranch started to glow as well. 

“My God!“ Richard cried in terror. “We have to get out of here immediately.“ 

Nothing more was necessary to be said. He turned off the water hose and let it drop. He grabbed Scott by his arm and dragged him into the stable. Both men got hit again by burning embers. They ducked instinctively. Each second the situation became more dangerous and out of control. 

“Open the stalls! Quick!” the rancher told Scott. “We must drive the horses through the driveway before we lose the escape route.“ 

Scott didn’t react. He was scared like never before in his life. Richard opened the first stall and noticed the young man still standing behind him, unmoving. He turned around and pushed Scott in the direction of the other stalls. “Come on. Hurry!” he yelled. “Open them up and drive the horses outside. Be quick about it.“ 

Scott won over his fear and did what Mr. Hayward wanted. Glowing embers rained down in front of the stable and the horses all neighed their fear. Some of them turned around and went back inside. They were looking for safety, but didn’t know where to hide. 

Scott was about to open the last stall. It belonged to the stallion, Sundancer. Richard came from behind and stopped him. 

“No, not his,” he ordered. “Get his bridle. Forget the saddle, there’s no time. I’ll ride him bareback. And get Loredo’s bridle. You’ll ride him out.” 

Hayden ran to the tack room and retrieved the stallion’s ornate bridle and Loredo’s plain one. He raced back to the rancher. 

“I’ll do his myself,” he said, holding onto the nervous animal’s halter. “You do yours.”

Scott hurried to the gelding’s stall, evading the horses that were inside. They were in a panic with the smoke clouds already hanging below the ceiling. Loredo was calmer than Sundancer, who kicked hard against the wooden door of the stall. Richard opened the door and gathered the reins. He swung himself up and almost fell off when Sundancer reared. Scott mounted his horse. They both urged their horses forward and trotted outside, maneuvering around the mares, fillies and colts. The other horses saw their possibly only rescue and followed the stallion and gelding out. Outside the view was unchanged. A look at the trees ablaze by the driveway told them the whole story. Lower branches had ignited in the meantime. It would be very difficult to get the horses through this route, but it was the only one they had. 

Scott suddenly noticed that his parents were still missing. He had expected them to arrive by now. He was sure they must have seen the inferno. Were they trapped in the house? He looked at Richard, even more scared. Mr. Hayward was concerned as well. 

“Go. Ride to your mother’s cabin. I’ll try to drive the mares through the driveway.“ 

The two riders separated. The mares gathered around Richard and Sundancer in fear. The lead mare had other plans. She ran another direction and another horse followed her. Richard called the lead mare’s name, but she paid no attention. Other mares ran away. He wanted to ride after the mares with the stallion, but he noticed the other horses wanted to follow her as well. His only chance was to bring Sundancer to the lead so the remaining horses would follow him. A flying ember landed on the stallion and singed his coat, burning his skin. Sundancer reared up, neighing in pain. Richard gripped the horse’s mane and held tight with his legs. He took up the slack in the reins, dug in with his heels and pushed with his butt, urging the stallion forward. “Run, Sundancer! Run!“ 

Another ember singed the stallion, and he took off in a gallop. The other horses decided to follow him. Those that went with the lead mare missed the escape. She tried to find another escape route, but the trees by the paddock were ablaze and they couldn’t run into the forest. They were trapped.

The stallion was difficult to control and needed a well-trained rider. Because he had worked with horses since his childhood, Richard had Sundancer fully under his will. He continued to urge the horse to go faster, although he was already galloping in a dead run. He turned his head and saw that all the mares followed him, except those who fled to the paddocks. His plan was working. He came closer to the flaming driveway. The fire burned the lower branches of the trees. Sundancer was scared and slowed down. The only chance they had for safety was to go through the corridor. The stallion stopped and reared again out of fear. He didn’t want to run through the gauntlet. Richard took the loose ends of the reins and touched Sundancer’s flanks. 

“C’mon. Let’s go!“ he yelled, but the horse refused and began stepping backwards.

“Damn you! Forward,“ he shouted. Sundancer still refused. The nostrils were flaring and he began to bite nervously on the bit. He fought against Richard, his herd leader, questioning his decision. The rancher got angry. The mares were confused. 

“Sundancer!“ he yelled again and urged him on. At the same time he whipped him with the rein at his left and right side. “Sundancer!“ Hayward yelled again and dug in. He touched the stallion’s flanks once more with the reins. The horse relented and raced ahead like he was competing for first place in the Triple Crown. Sparks rained down everywhere and the horse accelerated even more. 

The heat was intolerable. Richard tried to breathe as little as possible. He concentrated on steering Sundancer and looking after the mares. He thanked God they still followed him. The stallion’s hooves rattled over the stony ground. Horse and rider both were showered with flying embers, though at this speed they had no chance of hurting either of them unless a piece stuck somewhere. Richard had made it through the firestorm. As soon as he reached the road, he saw the fire brigade with their signal horn approaching. He was safe. But what about Scott and his parents? What about the eight mares still on the property? 

Jenny woke up and had a bad feeling as soon as she heard the wind began to howl. Her dog fled from his bed and jumped onto her bed. Sparky whined a warning. Her cabin was surrounded by high spruces and the wind was stronger here than below. Paul woke up and jumped out bed at the dog’s constant crying. A look out of the window showed them the situation. The wind played with the showering sparks. They looked to the ranch and saw horses running around in the yard in a panic. 

“We must get out of here!“ he said. Both of them hurried to dress. They were almost finished when Jenny noticed wisps of smoke coming down from the ceiling beams. 

“The house is on fire!” she said and hastily put on her boots. She grabbed the terrier and ran downstairs. “Take my bag,“ she asked and Paul turned to get it. He pulled out his sphere and formed a protective shell around himself. He hurried into the bedroom and saw a thick cloud hung below the wooden ceiling. The whole room was full of smoke in seconds. He found the bag and grabbed it. Paul ran downstairs. He heard a car driving out of the carport and ran out of the house. It wasn’t any better outside than inside. The wind whistled through the glowing trees beside the house and embers rained down everywhere. Jenny pulled her car to the front of the porch.

Loredo galloped swiftly up the steep path to the cabin. He and his rider were hit by several flying embers, but Scott’s worries over his parents were stronger than any pain. The gelding ignored the singes as well. Loredo galloped up yard for yard, snorting like a steam locomotive. Scott came around the corner and saw his mother’s car by the porch. His father had just climbed inside. Jenny was in the driver’s seat. Scott urged the horse to the car. 

“Follow me!“ he ordered her. A heavy weight was lifted from his heart when he saw his parents safely outside the house. He turned Loredo around and Jenny stepped on the gas. She followed her son, but suddenly stepped on the brake and stopped when she remembered something she’d forgotten inside the cabin. 

“My notebook! Everything is in there. My book. My whole life is in there. I can’t leave it!“ she cried and put the car in the park position. She opened the door. 

Paul had the dog on his lap. He grabbed her sleeve. “No, Jenny. Leave it!”

“I can’t,” she shouted back at him and fought against his grasp. 

“You stay in here. I’ll get it,” he said to calm her sudden hysteria. 

“No,” she shouted stubbornly at him, fearing that everything of her second book would be lost if she didn’t go back immediately to get it. She spun free and ran, despite the danger, back in the house. 

Scott realized his mother wasn’t behind him and headed back to find out what happened. He saw his father get out of the car and head for the house. “Dad! What are you doing? We’ve got to get out of here!” he shouted.

“She left her notebook inside. Wait here!” Paul told him and followed her into the smoky building, fearing she would collapse before she reached her goal. 

“But Dad!”

“Don’t worry about me,” he said and activated the sphere and hurried to help her.

Scott had his hands full keeping Loredo under control. He knew his mother’s notebook was priceless to her. But why did she run back by herself? 

Paul tried to orient himself in the smoke filled structure. The sphere’s protective shell filtered out the lung choking smoke, keeping it’s occupant safe as it had those many years ago when Paul carried Jenny out of the fiery crash of her car into the tanker truck. 

“Where are you?“ he called. He heard Jenny coughing not far away from him. She tried to go upstairs, but the smoke made it impossible. She had to give up her idea and turned around for the exit, shielding her nose with the fabric of her shirt. She saw Paul in the shield of the blue light right behind her. He got hold of her and pulled her in. When she held onto his arm, he allowed her some seconds to recover and inhale the clear air in the bubble. 

“Why didn’t you wait for me?” he asked, worried over her condition. She kept on to his support, still coughing hard. 

When her coughing lessened she told him, “I have to get it. At least the stick with the last backup copy.”

“Which stick?” he asked, confused. 

“The USB stick,” she answered and looked in his eyes. She saw he had no idea of what she meant. 

Paul couldn’t understand why this item was so important for her to risk her life for it, but it must mean a lot to her so he made the proposal, “Come with me. We’ll get it together.” 

Jenny nodded. Hand in hand they made their way up the stairs and into her bedroom. As quickly as possible she disconnected it from the external power and the printer, while he stood next to her and maintained the shell.

“This is the stick I talked about,” she said and disconnected it from computer as well. She showed it to him for a second before she put it hastily in her pants pocket. “It has storage capacity like 180 floppy discs.”

Paul eyed her again with a questioning look on his face. She guessed he didn’t know what a floppy disc was either. Now was not the right time to inform him about computer development of the last twenty years. The computer placed under her arm, she took him by his free hand and they hurried out of the house. Paul deactivated his sphere before he got in the car. Jenny went to the driver’s side and stowed the notebook away. She thought how lucky she was to have a man like Paul. She had to admit, without his ability with the sphere she probably would have collapsed in the house by now from inhaling the smoke. Next time she would be wiser and accept his help from the start. Scott waited until she had closed her door. He urged the horse on. 

 

The fire brigade came with three police cars behind it. All twenty-four saved horses were on the road. Two police cars closed the road, so no one would get hurt while they rounded up the animals.

“Why can’t you drive up?“ Richard asked the boss of the firemen, annoyed they stopped on the road. “There are still three people at the ranch and eight more horses.“ 

“Mr. Hayward,“ the fireman answered a bit irritated, “First me must fight the fire here at the driveway. At the moment we can’t get through with the fire trucks. I’m sorry.“ 

Richard clenched his fists furiously. _“I have to help them somehow!”_

In the same time, a police officer approached him. “Please Mr. Hayward. You have to help us catch these horses,“ he said with desperation in his voice.

“Yeah, sure,” he replied absently, still thinking about his friends and the fact that there was nothing he could do for them but wait.

 

Scott and Loredo were a perfect team. Horse and rider had formed a bonding relationship with each other. They could virtually predict how each would react in certain situations. Scott liked riding the gelding. Loredo was strong willed, but much calmer than the high-strung stallion thanks to being fixed. He cantered easily down to the farm. 

“Faster,“ Scott shouted and gave the horse the physical signals to increase his speed. Loredo went from a canter to a gallop.

Scott looked back once to see if his mother’s car was still following him, and felt relief seeing it easily keep pace behind him. He looked at the farm during his ride. The main house wasn’t on fire yet, but the stable and his Mom’s house were billowing smoke. In the pasture to the stable’s left he could see some horses fearfully running back and forth. These were the ones that left Richard and Sundancer. Scott rode to the paddock entrance. The gelding danced in place. He let out a piercing whistle, which drew the other horses attention. They all made their way towards him, looking towards him as herd leader to bring them to safety.

Jenny stopped the car, wondering why Scott had stopped. She and Paul saw the horses coming to him. She rolled down the window. The wind, heat and smoke instantly assaulted her.

“Leave them, Scott!” she yelled. “We must get out of there. Look at the driveway!“ 

Scott barely heard his mother over the wind and roar of the fire. When she pointed to the entrance, he saw the lower branches of the trees were burning. Without worrying anymore about the horses, he pointed Loredo to the flaming exit and urged him on. The closer he got, the hotter it got. The gelding went so far and then stopped, neighing and balking at proceeding further. He reared and Scott held on for dear life.

Jenny and Paul saw the trouble their son was having with the horse. Loredo was scared, and with good reason. She and Paul were scared for both of them.

Scott saw Jenny’s car inch closer. He also saw his father pointing for him to keep going. 

“I’m trying, Dad!” he said and fought to get the gelding to obey.

“What are you doing?” Jenny asked Paul.

“Back up a little,” Forrester said and pulled out his sphere. “I’ll make an opening for him with this, the horses and us to go through.”

Seconds later a huge tunnel of blue light appeared in the middle of the flaming driveway. Scott looked at the light ahead, then back at his mother’s car, and saw the interior lit up by the sphere’s glow. He knew what he had to do.

“Thanks, Dad,” he said and urged Loredo on. “It’s okay boy. You can do it. Let’s go!” he told the horse and gave him the signals. White foam came from the gelding’s mouth. He was overheating. He reared again, then leaped forward and ran full speed into the blue light. The lead mare followed Scott and the other horses did the same. 

Paul kept concentrating on maintaining the tunnel, otherwise there could be tragic consequences. As soon as the last horse entered the blue light, he told Jenny, “Let’s go, slowly.”

She drove on as he instructed.

Scott galloped through his father’s escape tunnel. He felt like he was flying. He leaned close to Loredo’s neck, like a jockey reducing his wind resistance, and heard the rattle of the gelding’s hooves on the ground and the loud, regular, intermittent breathing of his horse. The roar of the fire and the wind were gone, as was the heat. All around him was the blue light. He saw the burning trees outside only as a blur. It was like being inside a tunnel of thick glass. He heard the clattering thunder of hooves from the other horses far behind him. He was glad they’d followed him. The driveway was a good half mile long and the blue tunnel kept stretching on before him. What would happen when he reached the road? The other horses were catching up to him. Scott felt Loredo accelerating. He leaned so close to the horse’s neck, its mane whipped at his face. They felt like they were racing, only it was a race against the fire. They stormed ahead. Scott saw the end of the driveway. They flew out of the tunnel. He pulled back on the reins to stop Loredo. On the road were several fire brigade cars and some police cruisers.

“Woah!“ Richard called out to Sundancer as soon as he saw Scott emerge. The young man narrowly avoided a collision with him and the stallion.

“Move out of the way!” Scott said with urgency. “The other horses are right behind me.”

The rancher and Scott scrambled to get out of the path before the other mares and fillies came through. Less than a minute later, the missing eight horses came flying out of the tunnel. Two stopped behind Scott, two more went to Sundancer, the rest ran in other directions.

Jenny’s car finally appeared. Some of the firemen caught a glimpse of the blue light inside the car for a fraction of a second before it disappeared.

“Did you see that, Michael?“ one fireman cried to another one who was busy catching a loose horse. 

Scott and Richard dismounted and Mr. Hayward joyfully embraced his former hired hand. “I’m so glad to see you.“ Tears formed in his eyes. He’d been so worried about him and Jenny, and Paul too. He let Scott go and the two just looked at each other. 

Scott noticed how dirty his former boss’ face looked. He resembled the firemen whose faces were also covered with soot. “Me too,“ Scott said.

They hugged each other fiercely and patted each other on the back. They were glad to have survived. 

The wind was much weaker here than at the ranch. A fireman told Jenny where to park her car. She and Paul got out, leaving the dog inside. They hurried to join Scott and Richard. Suddenly Jenny ran from Paul into the arms of her ex-husband. 

“Hello, baby. Are you alright?“ Richard whispered in her ear. He let go of her as soon as he saw Paul arrive beside them. “That blue light, that was you, wasn’t it?“ he asked Forrester. 

“Yes.”

“It was totally crazy, Richard,” Scott jumped in, still shaken by the ordeal. “You should have seen it. It was tough, but thanks to Dad, we made it through.“ 

“How’s my farm?“ the rancher asked, dreading the answer.

“I think everything is lost.“ 

He reacted rather calmly. “I figured as much. The fire brigade can’t drive up because of the driveway. I’ll lose the ranch, but at least the horses are safe, and of course we are too.” 

A fireman approached Richard and interrupted him. “Please help us. Bring the horses off the street, sir. Our people can’t do it alone.“ 

“Yes, of course,“ he answered and swung up on the stallion again. He started to round up the strays. 

“What are we waiting for?“ Jenny asked Paul and Scott. “Perhaps the main street is still open. Do you still want to wait until Fox comes tomorrow? The ranch is lost.“ 

“Not yet,“ Forrester said and turned to his son, “The fire brigade can’t go up to the ranch because the driveway is on fire. With your assistance, I could try to protect all three buildings.“ 

Scott’s eyes grew wide. “My assistance? What are you up to?“ 

“Do you remember when we camped by the lake and you created a ring of blue lights with your sphere?“ 

Scott nodded hesitating, his gaze fixed at his father. What was he up to? 

Paul put his right hand on his son’s shoulder. “We’ll make a similar ring. Follow me!“ he requested and ran back to Jenny’s car. He hid himself behind the car, which was parked far behind the action. Scott wanted to help the fire brigade catching the horses, but his curiosity got the better of him. His mother decided to come along. 

Paul explained what he wanted to do. “It won’t be easy and I need your help for it. I’ll send out a ring, use the water of the hoses to load the ring and try to put the water and the light over the buildings. You try to do the same. Concentrate and direct the blue light to the right place. Then imagine the blue light freezes the water to ice.“ 

“The blue light turns the water to ice?“ Scott repeated unbelieving and exchanged glances with his mother. 

“It’s a difficult task,“ his father answered, “But together we can do it. Try to reach your mother’s house. It’s the smallest building of all.“ 

Paul got out his sphere and looked around if anybody was watching them. Richard and the policemen were busy with the horses, the fire-brigade with the fire. The operation could begin. “It’ll take away all your strength, but try to keep up the light as long as possible. Okay?“ 

“I’ll try,“ Scott said and was excited to carry out his father’s demand to his fullest satisfaction. But when he had his sphere in his hand, his courage vanished. 

“What if I can’t do it?“ he asked hesitating and uncertain. 

“Of course you can. You must simply imagine what the light should do. Start with the ring and send it to the house. Can you do that?“ 

“If he says to try it, then do it,“ Jenny encouraged her son and gave him a gentle shove in his side. Her words and her gesture made him concentrate at the sphere. “I’ll watch that nobody disturbs you,“ she said calming him down.

In the meantime, the small dog in the car had observed everything and wanted to get outside. He barked once out of protest. To guarantee his silence, Jenny opened the door and took him in her arm. 

Paul needed only few seconds to light up his sphere, but Scott took a little longer. They worked the first time as a team and both were fully concentrated on the task. They stood behind the car and stared at the bright sphere in their palm. Paul waited to let his ring appear only after Scott had formed one, who was not yet successful, although he gave his best. Paul encouraged him when he noticed Scott was about to give up. Normally he was able to communicate with him through the sphere, but he didn’t want to risk Scott getting frightened again, therefore he spoke to him aloud, “Concentrate. You don’t have to force it. It’ll do what you want the other way around as well.“ 

“It’s easy for you to say!“ Scott answered him sarcastically, without taking his gaze off the weakly shining orb, but then in the same second, a small ring appeared in the sky, became bigger and bigger and circled wildly. Jenny was awed. A second later the same thing happened with the other sphere. Two rings danced now above and the people had seen it. 

“Look! What’s that?“ one of the firemen cried out. 

It was good that the ring floated close to the fire brigade cars, because otherwise they would have revealed themselves with the bright spheres. Paul and Scott looked now to the blue, circling lights in the sky and Paul had to grin when he saw the astonished and surprised face of his son. Scott could not take his glance off the sphere, or he would have stopped the connection. Again and again he had to concentrate, in order to keep the ring shining. Meanwhile, his father played with both rings in the sky. He hooked his in the other one and in rotary motions he placed the rings above the fire trucks. The firemen holding the hoses looked frightened of the rings in the sky, but kept sprinkling the trees. 

“A UFO! Look at that! A UFO!“ one proclaimed and released a horse, which he had just caught. 

Paul stifled a laugh, because he had to keep concentrating. Suddenly, the stream of water went towards the rings and in a whirling motion the rings collected the water from the hose until both rings reminded everyone of a huge whirlpool. The eye-witnesses in front were very frightened and didn’t know what the rings and the phenomenon were. A look to his son let Paul see, that Scott’s was overtaxed with his sphere. The shining in his sphere began to weaken. When the two water rings were over the high trees, Paul instructed Scott, “Keep concentrating on your task.“ 

Scott’s sphere worked now more effectively. His mother was fascinated by this light show. The whirling rings changed into a blue cloud. The enormous cloud coated the main house and the stable. Paul smiled when he began to imagine the ice, which was like armor around the buildings. Little less than one minute passed until it was hardened. Although the wind blew sparks through the air, the fire could do nothing more to the buildings. At the same time his son tried to confront his task. Everything worked perfectly, because he put his full concentration on it. His blue water cloud reached his mother’s cabin and coated the house until a layer ice was formed. The will, needed to form the ice, drew all energy out of him. He opened his eyes and suddenly felt dizzy. From one second to the other he was very weak. Scott felt the need to sit down on the ground. At the same time Paul deactivated his sphere and looked exhausted too. He sat down beside Scott. 

“Are you okay?” Jenny hurried anxiously to her son and set the dog down. Paul looked very tired, but he wasn’t as exhausted as Scott was. 

“Oh man, this is totally crazy, but at one time I felt I had no more strength,“ Scott said.

“I warned you. The energy must come from somewhere. In this case, it came from you. But don’t worry, you’ll recover.“ 

Scott looked at his father. “You don’t look so good after the ice show either!“ 

“Hey, don’t be impudent!“ Paul countered back. They all quietly began to giggle. 

“Do you think it worked?“ Scott asked him later, serious again.

“We’ll see tomorrow,“ Paul answered. He heaved himself up at the car and looked at the firefighters in front. Beside firefighting and catching the horses, they had a great deal to whisper about. The lights sucking up the water into the rings were obviously the topic of the discussion. No one had apparently seen that the people responsible for the origin of the rings were standing in the back. Everywhere they could hear discussions of the phenomenon. 

“Are you feeling better?“ Jenny asked Scott as he tried to get up with her assistance. Both looked at the scenario in front of them. Scott wanted to help them, but had no more energy left.

“Man, am I tired! I need to sleep. I think I’ll lay down in the car. Do what you want, but I can’t go on,“ Scott said and interrupted their observations. He went and crawled in the car’s back seat. 

“Thanks Paul! Thanks for everything!“ Jenny whispered to her beloved Starman and took him by the hand. Exhausted, he smiled at her and gave her a small kiss. A gust of wind blew into their hair. Jenny felt that the wind had become weaker. Perhaps it would finally abate. Paul felt he needed a rest after the unusual effort, so they followed Scott into the car. Paul adjusted the front passenger seat into a resting position as far it would go without taking Scott’s space in the back. He fell asleep almost immediately, forgetting the world around him. Richard came to the car. Jenny didn’t open the window immediately, so he quietly knocked on it. She had only closed her eyes and was much too spoiled to be able to sleep in the car. Jenny pointed to him not to knock again and decided to get out to avoid disturbing the others in their rest. She took the dog with her on the leash. 

“That was him again with the blue lights and the water, wasn’t it?“ Richard asked her outside. 

She gestured for him not to talk so loud and answered him quietly, “Yes, it was him and Scott. I believe they put an ice sheet around your house, so the fire can’t do any more damage.“

“Really? He can do that?“ Richard cried, surprised. 

Again, she reminded him to be more discreet. “Quiet! Do you want to draw attention to us?“ 

“Sorry!“ He calmed down again. “Is that why they are so exhausted?“ he asked and pointed with his chin to the two sleepers in the car. 

“I think so.“ 

Jenny pulled Richard away from the car. With the dog on the leash, the two went to the other people to wait for sunrise. Richard had caught all the horses and the fire brigade had bound one after another to a stretched rope. He had nothing else to do now, except wait and hope. Perhaps the fire brigade would be able to put out the fire at the driveway before the sun came up. 

The wind had died. For more than two hours, the fire brigade fought against the inferno surrounding the driveway. It was 2 AM when the first car drove up. A police car brought the rancher to his property. Jenny decided to wait by her car, because Paul and Scott still slept inside. The firefighters arrived at the ranch and stepped out. They were astonished and some of them made a sign of the cross when they saw the house and the stable were wrapped in a layer of ice, approximately one inch thick, but melting because of the temperatures. Some trees were still alight, and everywhere in the yard lay burning branches. The firefighters had almost nothing to do. 

“Holy Mother of God!“ one of them proclaimed, “I’ve never seen anything like that.“ 

They didn’t know how the ice got there. Only Richard knew the answer. He decided to say nothing and acted just as surprised as the others. The men examined the ice sheet. They couldn’t find anything strange about it. 

“Don’t touch it!“ the policeman said with caution, but the fireman had already taken his glove off and had put a drop of the melting ice in his mouth. 

“It’s water!“ he said astonished. 

The men from one fire-brigade car began to sprinkle the trees in the yard, and the men from the other one went into the house and stable to see how it looked inside. They had problems entering the house because of the ice. Therefore, they carefully chopped at the ice on the front door with an axe. There, as in the stable, was no heavy damage, except a lot of lingering smoke. Richard asked the policeman to drive with him to Jenny’s cabin. There was also ice on that house. The embers falling down on the wooden floor damaged the porch. On the back of the house, the wood panels had blackened. The ice on this spot had been too weak. Inside the house it was still smoky. The men opened all the windows and doors, as soon as they freed them of the ice. All together there was more or less only cosmetic damage which could be quickly repaired. After the fire was extinguished, the fire brigade car drove up to the cabin and extinguished the trees there, which still glowed a little. When the sun was up, all the fires were put out and the cars left the property.

Richard drove down with the police to get the horses. He informed Jenny that everything so far above was okay. He told her about the ice. She started laughing as if she had known that everything would be okay. The two embraced each other full of joy. Richard swung up on Sundancer and drove the horses again to the yard and led them to the paddocks. The grass was singed in some places and smoke still rose from the some of the blackened embers in the grass. It didn’t matter. The horses were in safety and searched in the remaining green grass for their breakfast. 

Jenny went to check if her two men still slept. She opened the car door and clamped her dog under her arm. The sun rose over the hill. She got in the car and pushed the dog on top of Paul. He woke up, Scott a short while later. 

“Hello, good morning, everybody,“ Jenny greeted them and started the car. Paul straightened up. 

“Where are you driving?“ he asked fearfully and blocked the steering wheel. 

“Up to the ranch,“ she answered him, startled because of his reaction. “As we discussed it.“ 

“How does it look there?“ Scott asked from the rear. He began to stretch his muscles. 

“You two did a fine job,” Jenny informed him. “Richard said the buildings are okay. My house is a bit singed from the outside. Inside it should be okay, but it stinks of smoke. The firemen believe the phenomenon with the ice was an act of God.“ 

Paul had never heard of the expression and raised an eyebrow. 

“They said Richard is supposed to expect a television crew in the morning,“ she said and drove. “Are you two feeling any better now?“ 

Both grumbled their tired confirmation. 

Paul, Scott and Jenny stepped out of the car and saw the policeman saying good-bye to Richard. Over the radio of the police car, they could hear the announcement of the reopening of the main street. The stallion and the gelding stood bound to the paddock bar still bridled and seemed to be a little tired. Nobody had time to tend to them. They looked around. The ice on the buildings had completely melted. What remained were water puddles on the ground, a wet front and a wet roof. Besides the mess and small charred tree parts, which lay about everywhere, no larger damage was to be seen. Only the shingles showed blackening. The rain would eliminate these soon. 

Richard approached them, a little self-conscious of Paul. 

“I must thank you again, Forrester. With your assistance, and Scott’s, with those spheres, my buildings got away with almost no damage. I don’t know how I can ever repay you. I have to admit, I was very wrong about you. No wonder Jenny could never forget you. You are unique.“ 

Paul wasn’t used to receiving such a compliment. They were all looking at him and waited for his reaction. He in turn was himself a little self-conscious. Nevertheless, he couldn’t help give the man a nonchalant answer. “Everyone is unique. Aren’t they?“ 

They all grinned. He raised an eyebrow and put on his irresistible smile.

“Well, I’ll go unbridle and feed Sundancer and Loredo,“ Richard said. “What are you doing now? Are you waiting for this Fox? Are you carrying it out as you planned it?“ 

“I’ll try it,“ Paul answered him, serious again. “They will certainly come soon.“ 

“If you want, I can try to talk to him and tell him what you did for me. Do you guys think he’ll change his opinion?“ 

“Richard,“ Jenny countered, fearfully. “You don’t know this man, but soon you’ll have the pleasure. Believe me, he won’t let Paul go only because he saved your ranch from the fire. He’s obsessed with keeping Paul.“ 

Richard looked at her insulted. “I’ll try it in any case. Do you mind?“ 

Jenny didn’t answer, only crossed her arms. Richard got the impression she didn’t share his estimation regarding Fox.

###    
**Chapter 12**  


After his release, George went to the motel where Ben and Christina were staying. He was so glad he would finally be home soon. He still had a large bandage on his forehead and his left arm was in a sling. The talk with Mrs. Hayden about the book still lay ahead, but that was a piece of cake after what they had been through these last couple of days. He knocked on the door. When no one answered, he felt acid churning in his stomach.

Ben woke up early. He saw his wife was still sleeping. Forrester had somehow influenced her need for sleep, otherwise he couldn’t explain her tiredness. Christina was normally up early and awake as soon she heard any movement. He heard the knock on the door. 

“Wylie!” Fox called. “It’s me, George. What’s going on?”

Ben had to trust his acting abilities one more time. He opened the door. He greeted his boss wearing only shorts and socks. He made an effort to look tired. Fox didn’t answer, but rushed past him and searched the room. As George had suspected, Forrester was nowhere to be seen. Christina was still in bed, but woke at his shouting. 

“Where is he?” Adrenalin rushed through his body. “Well?” he asked, pushing Ben, hoping for some plausible answer why Paul was missing. It didn’t look good though. The extra bed in the room appeared to be unused.

“Um,” Wylie stammered and scratched the back of his head.

Christina hastily put on her bathrobe and stood up. Her hair was a mess and she struggled to wake up. “We left him at the ranch,” she yawned.

“You what?” Fox yelled at her. He couldn’t believe what he’d heard. “My God, what were you two thinking?” _“Forrester did this,”_ George thought. “He tricked you!” he shouted at them. “You just wait, Forrester,” he growled. “Hurry up and get dressed. We’re driving to the ranch right now.”

Richard led Loredo into the stable. It became obvious to everybody that they only waited for the arrival of the others. 

“If you two don’t mind, I’ll drive to my house one more time, take a look how it looks there and get the rest of my stuff,“ Jenny said and looked at her watch. It was 7:30 AM. “Be ready Scott. If they drive, we’ll drive too. Have you packed everything? Passport and the money?“ 

“I have everything in your car, Mom,“ he assured her. 

Sparky ran around in the yard. Jenny whistled after the dog. He came to her immediately and she picked him up and put him in the car. Then she turned to Paul again, who observed her, completely calm, with the hands in his jeans pockets. He still looked tired. 

“When do you think they’ll get here?“ she asked him. 

He shrugged.

She came closer to him and put her arms around his neck, until he reacted to the embrace. Although Scott observed them, she kissed her man in front of his eyes and Paul answered her burning kiss. 

“Always remember: I love you.“ 

“I love you too, Jen.“

Suddenly he understood. She only kissed him, because she was frightened Fox would already be there when she returned. 

“Hey, they haven’t picked me up yet,“ he said. She only smiled embarrassed, took a look at Scott, got in the car and drove off. 

For the first time, Paul noticed the words “Subaru Forester” on the back of her car and he raised his brow in astonishment. 

“What’s the matter?“ Scott asked. 

“Why is she driving a car with my name on it?“ 

Scott giggled, although he was very nervous. “She won it in a prize competition. I talked her into playing the game. The Forester has four-wheel drive. Otherwise she could never have afforded it. It seems your name brought her luck.“ 

“It’s missing one ‘r’.”

“What can I say?” Scott said. “That’s just the way Subaru decided to spell it.”

 

“I simply can’t believe that Paul did this,” Christina said on the way to the ranch. “I know he wanted to stay overnight badly, but I can’t believe that he dared to trick me.”

“I believe it,” Fox assured her from the front passenger seat. “He always does something weird when people or things are in his way. You see now how dangerous he can be. Paul may look like a lamb, but with this action he showed us again that he can’t be trusted. He has the power to influence people. He can make them believe what he wants them to. I only hope he’s on the ranch, and the reason for the trick was because he wanted to stay with his family and not because he wanted to run. I don’t trust him anymore. I never should have. I was so stupid to take him with me.”

Christina was angry over the trick, but also worried about Paul. His wish to stay with his family and to spend every minute with them was more important than his respect for her, Ben and even Mr. Fox. 

“What will you do to Forrester if he’s still there?” Ben wanted to know.

“I’m breaking his neck,” George growled. 

“Sir, I don’t like what Forrester did to us either, but you have to understand his reasons,” Ben said. “He’s finally seen his family again after eighteen years. I’ve watched him on the ranch. He was completely changed, happy, full of life, totally different than we’ve known him. He stays in the research center only because we extort him with his son’s freedom. It’s wrong of us to separate him from his family and lock him up like a wild animal. They love him and he loves them. He just wants to live a normal life with them. He dared to trick us because it shows how much he wants to change his situation. I think it’s time we release him.”

“The military will never allow Paul to live as he wants to,” Christina said.

“That’s exactly the point here,” Ben answered. “Even if you allow his family visitation rights, he won’t get any happier or be more satisfied. Let’s face it, the man is and always stays a prisoner. We control him like a puppet on strings. But it’s wrong!”

George got an uneasy felling that maybe Ben wasn’t under Forrester’s influence at all. If it was true then Wylie was in big trouble. If Forrester escaped, then he would have to arrest his partner and prosecute him for treason.

“I’m not the one who decides over his future, Ben,” she explained and raised her voice to him. “Not Mr. Fox either, or you.” 

“In that case I quit. I can’t and won’t go on as before, supporting the military in their stubbornness.”

“Calm down, Ben,” Christina told him, “Let’s wait and see if he’s still on the ranch.” She hoped her words calmed him. She remembered the news she heard on the car’s radio. “Hopefully nothing’s happened to him. Tonight there was an inferno at the ranch.”

 

Paul and Scott waited silently in front of the stable and observed the horses in the pasture. Jenny was in her house, and Richard was still busy with the gelding. Sitting on a stump, Scott combed his fingers several times through his hair while his father waited tranquilly beside him. 

“Are you nervous?“ Paul asked his son. 

“Yes, I’m nervous. Aren’t you?“ 

“A little.“ 

“Fox and Mrs. Wylie will be very angry with you for tricking her yesterday……God!” Scott cried out. “I wished everything would be over. I hope your plan will work.”

 

A minute later the car arrived at the ranch. They had seen Paul and Scott waiting while Ben parked in front of the stable. Fox jumped out first, without waiting for the others. 

George ran towards Paul. He looked furious. Scott stood and breathed deeply before the agent reached them. He hadn’t seen the man for eighteen years. Fox got older in his appearance, but he still seemed to be extremely dangerous. Scott thought he would explode with anger any moment. 

“Forrester! I trusted you and you tricked my agents. You want to be trusted, but you deceived them. Tricking agents and brainwashing them is not what I expected from you. I thought I knew you.”

“But I’m still here, Mr. Fox. This was our agreement,” Paul continued, slowly. “I’m sorry. I tricked them because I wanted to have more time with Jenny and my son.”

“I don’t believe it,” he fumed and got a pair of handcuffs from his jacket pocket with his good arm. “Turn around!” he yelled and Forrester sadly did what he demanded. 

“Mr. Fox, this is not necessary,” Paul begged him, hoping he would give up his idea. 

“I’ll decide what’s necessary. We’ll talk about this later when we’re back,” Fox answered and handcuffed him. It took him longer than usual because of the sling he wore. Forrester didn’t resist. “Don’t think I’ll forget this. You’ll have to face the consequences.”

As soon George had tightened the cuffs, he let go of him and Paul turned around. He was devastated and looked at Scott. He saw now tricking Christina yesterday was a big mistake. 

George forced himself to calm down. His look fell on Forrester’s son, whom he had seen only in pictures for the last eighteen years. 

“Hello Scott.” 

Scott wasn’t in the mood to greet him. He was worried how Paul’s plan would work when his hands stayed bound all the time.

Christina and Ben came to the scene. She was also very angry about the trick. Ben greeted Paul and Scott. He saw what Fox had done to Forrester. He had expected it. Christina denied talking to Paul at all. Instead she addressed Scott. 

“Hello Scott, how are you?“ 

He eyed her sullenly. “We’re fine.”

“What happened here?“ Ben asked. He noticed the stable looked strangely wet and everywhere were puddles. 

Scott tried to give him a suitable explanation. “The fire brigade had to hose the buildings.“ 

They looked around and noticed the burned out embers and the blackened branches, which lay on the ground everywhere. 

“There must have been a fiasco here,” Ben said. “We heard it on the radio during our ride up here. The whole area must look like this.“ 

They saw Jenny’s car coming and park next to the agent’s car. She got out, visibly pale, but trying to keep up her attitude. Sparky hopped out and snuffled at the strange car. 

“Hello, Mrs. Hayden,“ Fox greeted her, much calmer now. 

“Hello,“ Jenny greeted, scared and uncertain. She saw Paul was handcuffed. 

“So,” the agent started with the original reason for his trip to California. “Since you now know that Forrester is our guest in Nevada, Mrs. Wylie talked with me about a possible visit agreement, in case you want that. I have to clear it with my superior first, but I don’t think this will be a problem. I can only imagine how you felt when he showed up suddenly. Christina told me you are still just as fascinated by him as we are.“ 

“If you think that you can get me into that research center again then you are mistaken, Mr. Fox,“ Scott yelled at Fox, telling him what he thought of the idea. 

Fox didn’t share his irritation at all. “It’s your decision, son. I only thought since you know that he isn’t dead, you’d possibly want to see him again. He is, after all, your father.“ 

Scott was busy holding his temper down. Above all, Fox unconsciously just called him ‘son’. The agent said it out of habit, because the young man was much younger than he was and it was a general term for younger men if the older man was wise and experienced. 

Fox turned again to Jennifer. “Did my agents talk with you about the book?“ 

“Yes.“ 

“I expect you to pull it. How in the world did you get the absurd idea to write a book about him? Did you think we’d never find out?“ 

“Forget it, Fox,“ Jenny defied him. “I can’t pull it. It’s sold to a renowned children’s book publishing house.“

Fox started to grin, then to giggle. “Mrs. Hayden, I don’t care who has the rights. Either you pull the book in a month, otherwise I’ll do it. Do you understand?“ 

“Do you think I fear you, Mr. Fox? If the military forces me to pull a children’s book, then I would be concerned in your place. Fight against real enemies, and not against me, who tells stories to children. Only a few people in this country could make a connection between Peter Forster and Paul. Do you sue all authors who turn their science-fiction stories into movies? I can give you the address of George Lucas, if you want.“ 

Jenny had never before been able to bring up such courage against George Fox and she was pleased with herself. 

He answered her in a harsher voice, “I’m informing you again. If the book isn’t pulled within a month, we will.“ Without waiting for her reaction, he continued in the same breath, “Can we go now?“ 

If looks could kill, Fox would have probably dropped dead, but Jenny decided to keep quiet. Why should she answer? She was facing a fundamental change in her life. Why should she get excited because of such a trifle?“

“Can I say good-bye?“ Paul asked to solve the tension. 

Fox granted his wish. “Make it brief.“ 

When Paul didn’t react, Fox asked, “What are you waiting for?”

“Will you please open the restraints? I can’t say a proper good-bye when I’m not able to hug them.”

They looked at each other. Paul’s eyes begged Fox to reconsider. 

“You haven’t earned that at all,” he said, furious that Forrester’s pleading look won over his anger. He turned him roughly around to open the cuffs. Free again, Paul turned and rubbed his wrists. “Thanks.”

“Say good-bye and then we’ll go.” 

Paul turned first to Scott, put his right hand on his shoulder and gave him a big hug. His son couldn’t return his embrace. Everything was so uncertain. His dad still had his sphere, but would everything work as they had planned? He still didn’t know for sure if his father really wanted to escape at all. Now Fox wanted to punish his father for tricking the agents yesterday. Would he have enough courage to escape when the time was ready for it? And would he be able to carry it out? He guessed Fox would restrain him again before they drove off. If he did, the plan was a failure. 

“Be well, son.“ 

With Paul’s words, tears formed in Scott’s eyes and he embraced him firmly. 

“I don’t want you to go, Dad,“ he cried openly. 

“Me neither, but I can’t change it. You can visit me if you want. Do you hear?“ 

Scott turned away from him. What did he mean? Was this only show in front of Fox or had he changed his mind? He couldn’t see the answer in his eyes and he couldn’t ask him verbally. His eyes gleamed with tears. 

“Dad?“ he asked with uncertainty. 

Paul wasn’t able to give his son an answer now. He didn’t know if his plan would still work or how the situation would develop. 

Scott lost his nerves. “No!“ he cried as soon as he had evaluated his father’s reaction and ran back into the stable. His father had made it clear with his body language that he didn’t believe himself anymore that the escape plan would work the way they’d planned it.

“Scott, wait!“ Paul cried and attempted to follow him, but Fox grabbed his arm, stopping him. 

“Hey! You stay here, Forrester!”

The two looked at each other. 

“Please. Let me talk to him. In private.” 

To his total surprise, George said nothing and released him. The agent thought while he talked to Mrs. Hayden the two could solve their emotional problem. 

Paul found his son in front of the entrance to the tack room. Scott had just gotten the rifle, which he had taken with him recently on the ride. Still very much agitated, but now also furious, he was determined to use the gun for his father’s freedom. Scott loaded it with trembling fingers. 

“What do you intend to do now, Scott? Do you want to clear our way with that?“ 

Scott deigned to look at his dad. He put two more cartridges in the back pocket of his jeans instead. 

“If I must I’ll do it. I told you, I won’t permit them to bring you back. I won’t stand for it, Dad. It’s over now. I have no more patience.“ 

“You must stick to the plan, Scott. Don’t lose your nerves now.“ 

“Your plan won’t work, Dad! Don’t you see that?“ Scott yelled and looked firmly in the eyes of his father. “Nobody is on your side except for Ben. This ...“, he lifted the rifle to eye level, “is the only language they understand. Cruelty and violence.“ 

Paul had no comprehension for his outbreak, even though it concerned his freedom. With a firm gaze he took the rifle out of his son’s hand. Scott hesitated at first to give it to him, but the flaming eyes of his father made him let go. Scott was seething and his father became the outlet for his emotions. 

“Then go with them, Dad!“ he yelled at him furiously. “I just wanted to help you, but nobody can help you if you don’t want it yourself. I won’t stop you any longer!“ Despite his rage, his eyes reflected only pain. Paul wanted to say something, but Scott continued to yell, “Go! Get out!”

Scott turned and put his head against his arm, which he leaned against the door. His rage towards Paul had passed as soon as he had yelled at him and said these last offensive words. He felt helpless. He loved Paul deeply as a father, but instead of telling him that, he yelled at him. But why did Paul put up with all that? Why did he always react so calm and peaceful? Why could everyone see it except the military and Fox? Why wasn’t he able to help him somehow? He wasn’t a child anymore but a grown man. Scott was despaired, so much that his whole body trembled. Paul unloaded the rifle and put the two cartridges in his jacket pocket. Then he put the gun down, leaning it against the wall. He went to Scott and wanted to put his hand on his shoulder as gesture of reconciliation, but because he didn’t know if Scott wanted it, he decided not to do it. 

“I only want to let you know that I love you very much. You are my son, my only descendant. I will always be with you with the sphere I gave you. Don’t forget that.“ 

Scott heard his words, but showed no reaction at all. It broke Paul’s heart. 

 

“Are you pulling the book? This is the actual reason why we came,“ Christina asked the other woman. 

Jenny had crossed her arms and looked at her defiantly. Paul had told her he thought of her highly, but Jenny didn’t know how she should judge the woman. Finally she gave way. 

“I will call the publishing house and describe the problem to them.“ 

“You may not tell them about Paul, and you know why, don’t you?“ Fox reminded her. 

“Don’t worry,“ she answered him. “I won’t tell them, that ‘my Starman’ vegetates in a research lab in Nevada only because he originally followed an invitation we sent out. No Fox, that would be too crazy.“ 

She was sarcastic and he didn’t like it. They heard Scott’s shouting in the stable. George turned and went to the stable to find out what this was all about and what happened with his prisoner. 

 

George Fox found Paul and Scott. Something very emotional had just happened between these two. He was about to ask what happened, when Richard came back in the stable. He too wanted to see what the shouting was about. He was surprised to see the strange man. Richard knew right away who it was. He looked to Paul and Scott and saw that something happened as well. Both had tears in their eyes and everything pointed to the fact that they were disturbed by Fox. 

“I’m Richard Hayward,“ he welcomed the stranger to ease the situation. 

“George Fox.“ 

“You’re the man who’ll take Paul away again, aren’t you?“ 

“Yes. We’ll be gone in a minute.“ 

George didn’t want to get entangled into a discussion. He wanted to leave. 

“Let’s go Forrester. Now come on!“ he said and dragged his prisoner by his arm.

 

“I hope the trick Forrester did to us yesterday amused you, Mrs. Hayden,” Christina told Jenny. “I’m very disappointed about what he did. He brought me and Ben a lot of trouble.”

“I’m glad he tricked you,” Jenny answered. “Before we had to run from the fire, we cherished our last night together. That’s something you don’t understand because you have a block of ice where your heart should be. You just wanted to take him to the motel and lock him there until next morning. That’s what you do best, lock people up.” 

“That’s my job, Mrs. Hayden,” Christina argued. “You accuse me of things I can’t change. Paul fooled me and Ben, his two guards. Ben bent the law way too much already, only to give Paul more time with you and Scott. Of course Mr. Fox is angry. I am too. I thought I knew Paul. I guess I was wrong about him.”

“So what do you think Fox will do to him?” Ben asked his wife.

“I don’t know. I’m sorry for him, but this time it was his own fault and he alone will have to face the consequences,” Christina said.

Ben didn’t like hearing that. “Consequences? What do you mean by that?”

Christina shrugged and said nothing. She really didn’t know how Fox would punish Paul for what he did, but Ben mistook her silence as ignorance.

“Okay, that’s enough,” he raged. “You’ll have to do this alone. I won’t help you any longer. This is my last day. I’m out of the military. I quit.” He stormed back to the car. 

Ben had the door handle in his hand. Christina ran to him and asked, “What are you doing?” 

“I’m driving back. Alone. I’m packing my stuff. I can’t go on. I’m fed up with this! Get out my way.” 

She wanted to stop him, but Ben started the car and drove with speed out of the parking space. 

“Ben, stop, don’t do this to me!“ she cried after him.

 

Before Paul went to go with Fox, he looked again at Scott, who still didn’t react. An instant later Scott turned around.

“Forgive me, please!“ Scott said calmer. “I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. I’m sorry, Dad. I shouldn’t have said those awful words.” 

Paul was hurt. However, he didn’t want to leave without making peace with him. 

“I’m sorry too, Scott.”

“Let’s go now,” Fox gently demanded again. The four men left the stable. As soon as they were outside, Fox heard the fight between Ben and Christina. 

“Hey, what are you doing, Wylie?” he cried when he saw Ben leaving without them. Ben reversed with high speed and whirled up a lot of dust. He didn’t see the dog behind him, but Paul did. Instinctively, Paul reached into his pocket for his sphere and brought it to light. Before the car hit the dog, he used the power of the sphere to stop the car. The dog jumped out from under the car, totally unharmed, and ran as if the car hadn’t crossed his path at all. Sparky jumped into the arms of his startled master. 

Except Ben, everybody had witnessed the miracle and every eye rested on Paul. Slowly and shaken, Ben stepped out of the car. He didn’t know what happened, but when he looked at Paul he saw him standing there with the sphere. Ben looked to the dog in Jenny’s arms and put two and two together. 

“Oh no,” were the only words he could say. It was over now. Paul had forfeited his freedom by saving Sparky’s life.

Fox had seen it and couldn’t believe it. So had Christina. She was speechless. Paul just stood there and lowered his hand with the sphere. 

“Dad, what are we going to do?” Scott asked his father, fearful and despaired. Jenny was shocked. She knew they’d lost now. The plan failed. She put the dog down and approached her Starman, together with the others. Fox still couldn’t believe what he had just witnessed. 

“What was that?” Christina asked.

“A performance of what the alien is capable of doing, Christina,” George said and looked firmly into Forrester’s eyes. At the moment, Paul still had the power to run, but Fox’s power over him was stronger. 

“Give me the sphere,“ the agent ordered. Paul held it out to him in his open hand. George snatched it away like a scared animal and put it in his jacket pocket. 

He had had it. “How did he get the sphere?“ he bawled at his agents. Christina was still speechless. She tried to say something, but nothing came out. She had never seen the sphere before, only on the cover of Jenny’s book. 

“Christina! Wylie! I want an answer. Now.“ 

“We don’t know how he got it. Do you, Ben?” Christina asked her husband.

“No, I don’t. Honest.” Ben was still shaken over what happened and nobody had the impression his answer was a lie.

“How did you get it?” the agent asked Forrester. 

Paul couldn’t betray his friend and took all the responsibility. “I stole it from the vault.”

“How? You were supervised all the time.” 

“I’m an alien. I can do such things you know.“

Fox got the impression Forrester made a fool out of him and he feared him now just as much as he did before he thought he knew him better. 

“You stole the sphere to escape, didn’t you? But the incident with the dog ruined everything for you. But if you wanted to escape, why are you still here? You didn’t have to wait for me.”

“We wanted to run, but he didn’t,” Jenny answered. “He was afraid Scott and I would get hurt.”

The agent was still disappointed. “Well, at least somebody is able to think even if all the others are insane. Forrester, it’s not enough that you tricked my agents, but you stole the sphere too. You let me down and broke the trust I had developed in you,” The agent got the handcuffs from his jacket pocket and bound Paul’s hands behind his back again. “We’re driving back to the research center. Believe me, I won’t grant your wishes so quickly anymore. You’ve fooled me for the last time, Forrester.“ He pulled him by the arm, but Paul resisted. 

“What about our agreement regarding Scott?” Forrester wanted to know. 

Fox didn’t answer. 

Richard placed himself in front of Fox and cut him off. “Please, Mr. Fox, I wanted to talk to you. Don’t bring him back. He hasn’t earned that. The man saved my ranch from the fire.“ 

“Get out of the way, Mr. Hayward.“ 

“Can’t you understand? He’s no danger and it’s wrong to lock him up.”

“He’s an extraterrestrial. Do you hear what I’m saying: an extraterrestrial. You just saw what he can do. We can’t allow him to live among other humans. A research house in Nevada was built especially for him. It cost us much money. His knowledge saved us much research work.” Fox was unrelenting. “My orders are to make sure he returns.”

“Yes, I saw him save a dog from being crushed to death,” Richard answered. “I saw him save my ranch from burning to the ground and my horses too. I think those are some damn good reasons to leave him here.” He wasn’t yet finished, when Scott and Jenny pushed forward. 

“Fox, I won’t allow you to take him with you. He’s not going back. You understand me?“ Scott said.

George laughed. “What are you going to do about it? Pray that I don’t take you with us to Nevada. Do you want that?“ 

Fox had crossed the line and Scott became infuriated. He wanted to wrestle Fox down, but Richard grabbed him and held his arms behind his back. 

“Let me go!“ Scott yelled and fought with all of his strength against the rancher’s grasp. Richard’s only concern was the young man’s safety. Meanwhile, Fox continued to pull Paul to the car. Before they reached the car, the Starman suddenly began to refuse to cooperate. 

“No, I won’t go back. Please don’t make me go!” he cried and began struggling against the agent’s firm grasp. While being dragged, he stumbled over a branch and fell forward. Fox had to hold him by the arm before Paul fell with his face in the dust. 

“What are you doing? Get up!” George barked at him and held Forrester’s additional weight, until Paul got on his knees and regained his balance.

“I’m not going back! Eighteen years were enough,” Paul shouted back, while he stood with Fox’s support. “I always did what you wanted. I can’t go on living there.” As soon as Forrester had outbalanced the movement of standing up, he began struggling again and pushed with his feet against the direction Fox pulled him by his arm. 

Ben and Christina witnessed everything. Ben found it so unfair. It turned out to get nasty, just as he thought it would when Fox found out about the sphere. Christina hated it too how it had to end. But this was not the right time to change Paul’s situation. He had to learn he couldn’t fool everybody and expect help from them afterwards. 

“No more discussions! Stop struggling, Forrester!” Fox warned him and got angrier every second. He had to use all of his physical power to get him to the car. Christina approached them and both men stopped. She tried to talk sense into Forrester and looked up to him. He looked despaired. Although this man had fooled her and lied to her, Christina fought with herself at this moment. 

“We can’t leave you here. We have to go. Now!”

“No!” Paul yelled back at her, determined.

Christina tried to talk sense into him. She spoke gently to him, “We won’t take Scott after what happened with the sphere and Fox will allow Jenny and Scott to see you if they like. Won’t you?” she said and looked to her superior to give him the answer. 

George just nodded, hoping Forrester finally understood his resistance was useless. 

Jenny had witnessed her son’s and Paul’s outbreak and made a decision of her own. She didn’t want to let Paul go. Not this time. If he wasn’t allowed to live here with her, then maybe Fox might allow her to live with Paul. She pushed forward and placed herself in front of them to prevent Fox from opening the car door. 

“Get out of my way, Mrs. Hayden.“ Fox said, unnerved by her childish measure.

“Take me with you. I beg you, take me with you,“ she pleaded.

“So you can live with him and become his wife?” the agent said with sarcasm and smiled at her.

“Yes. Please.”

Her silly request amused him. He shook his head and roughly moved her aside. He opened the rear door and ordered his prisoner, “Get in there.“ 

Paul hesitated, but reluctantly obeyed after Fox gave him another push. There was no time for a good-bye kiss. Fox closed and locked the door. Scott finally freed himself from Richard, ran to the car and stopped in front of his mother and George. The agent was prepared to subdue the young man if he tried anything. 

“Wylie! Christina!“ he called. When the couple arrived, he ordered Ben, “You drive.”

“No, sir. I won’t.”

“What? Why not?”

“Because I am no longer your agent. I quit. I can’t accept how you treat him anymore. I can’t change it and help him. Nobody listens to what he wants and needs. My notice is my personal answer to all that.”

“Wylie?” Fox said, dumbstruck. This man had worked with him for over twenty years. George could tell he was angry about what just happened and he knew Ben had trouble lately accepting Forrester’s fate, but quitting was not the answer. Fox wanted to talk to him, but it would have to wait until later, not now. He ordered Christina to drive and told Ben to get in. 

“You’re not driving away with him, Fox!“ Scott shouted after Ben’s notice. George, still shaken by the turn of events, passed him and got in the back on the other side. Christina took her seat behind the steering wheel. Wylie couldn’t help Paul anymore. While Christina started the engine, Scott tried in vain to open the door where his father sat. The door was locked, and because the car was now in motion, Scott had to let go. Despaired, he tried to hold on somewhere else, but it was pointless. He ran after the car as it drove away. Scott and Jenny and Richard saw how Paul sadly turned in his seat to look at them. In seconds they lost the last glimpse of the car. Jenny stood wordlessly beside her son. Crying bitter tears, she fell against Scott’s chest. Scott was not able to comfort her. In his mind, he saw only the picture of his father looking back a last time. Richard stood beside these two and didn’t know how to react. Should he take Jenny in his arms? She appeared to be a broken woman. She clung to her son and could not stop her tears. Scott didn’t hear her at all. He was beside himself and had a sudden idea. He pushed her away. Jenny was confused. Scott seemed to be in another world when he said, “I’ll get him back.“ 

Jenny looked up to him as did Richard. They didn’t understand what he intended to do.

“Scott?” Richard called.

“I’ll bring him back,“ he answered, more determined this time. “I won’t allow Fox to bring Dad back there.” As if he were another person, he turned and ran towards the stable. The only horse ready to ride was the stallion. He almost stumbled in his rush to get to the horse. Richard and Jenny ran after him, asking what he had in mind. Scott led the stallion from the paddock bar and tried to mount Sundancer. The horse didn’t like that at all and stepped away from Scott. Before Richard could stop him, Scott managed to swing himself up onto the horse and wildly urged him on.

“Ha, Ha, Ha!“ Scott said and gave the physical cues to Sundancer to run. The stallion galloped forward just as Richard grabbed for the reins. Scott drove the horse towards the paddocks and ran him to the fields and the forest. Riding through the woods was the only possibility to get ahead of Fox and the road, which led to the main street. He hoped to arrive there before the car did. 

“He’s going to try to cut them off! We must go after them,” Richard said.

“Fox won’t listen to him,” Jenny said. “A tragedy will happen unless we stop him. Quick, get in my car.“ 

They raced to the vehicle. Richard started the engine and pulled out. Jenny snatched her dog and got in beside him.

“Hurry,” Jenny pleaded.

###    
**Chapter 13**  


Sundancer was urged to the extreme by his rider. In the forest, some branches of the trees still glowed weakly from the fire. It was a strange atmosphere. Scott was of one single thought and left the horse not a second to rest. The stallion wasn’t used to such a wild ride, but he did what his rider demanded of him. At one point, Sundancer stumbled over a tree root. Scott narrowly avoided a terrible fall. He briefly broke out in a sweat. _“If the stallion breaks a leg, Richard will never forgive me,”_ he thought, but pulled himself together. Where his father was concerned, he paid no heed. He clucked his tongue to keep the horse running.

“You can’t quit your job, Ben,” Christina told her husband. “I don’t understand why everything is suddenly such a problem for you.”

“No, you never do,” he replied. “Neither of you do.”

“Why haven’t you spoken with me about this?” Fox asked him. “This is the first time I’ve heard you complain. You don’t need to quit your job.”

“Yes, I do. And I have told you more than once what I thought. That’s precisely the point. Nobody listens. I can’t go on doing the job. I’m only sorry I didn’t resign sooner.”

Paul still cried over losing his family, but now he felt the need to tell Ben, “Don’t throw your career away because of me. Your quitting won’t change anything.”

“Maybe not, but I have to leave. I know this is the right thing to do.”

Fox watched Paul next to him and Forrester met his gaze. 

“I’m sorry this ended this way. Tell me, why did you steal the sphere and still wait for me? You planned some kind of escape on the way back, didn’t you?” Paul said nothing, but the look in his eyes told Fox he was right. “Your escape would have been short. You really risked Scott’s freedom. I find it hard to believe you’d do such a thing. Honestly. I never thought you would.” He suddenly remembered there were two spheres in the vault. Paul guessed what he was thinking because Fox’s attitude changed abruptly. 

“Where is the other one, Forrester? I think I’m correct assuming you took both of them.“ 

Wylie swallowed hard at hearing George’s question to Paul. Only Christina noticed it.

“Where is it?“ Fox asked again, fearfully. Paul searched for a lie, but never answered because Christina shouted, “Watch out!“ 

She stood on the brakes, abruptly stopping the car. She saw a black horse with a rider galloping out of the forest. The rider brought the horse to a halt in the center of the road in front of the car. 

“For heaven’s sake!“ George grumbled. He had to brace himself against the front seat because of the sudden stop. Paul wasn’t buckled in, due to their haste leaving the ranch, and he slammed his shoulder against the front seat. It was then he saw the reason for Christina taking the severe action: Scott.

Sundancer reared a little when his rider pulled him out of a full gallop to a standstill. He was sweating heavily and snorted loudly. Fox stepped out of the car and ordered the others to stay inside. Paul wanted to get out, but he couldn’t do anything with his hands bound behind his back. 

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?“ George chastened.

Scott spoke calmly, even though he was very agitated. He wanted to express his thoughts clearly. If he had yelled, it would gain him nothing except Fox’s further rage. 

“I won’t go back without my father. Hand him over.“ 

Fox laughed at the young man. How naive the lad was, and impudent for someone who was running with a potential noose around his own neck. 

“Clear the road. You can’t change it.”

“Oh yes I can,” Scott said and reached into his jeans pocket. Fox saw the silver sphere in Scott’s open hand.

“I knew it. You have it,“ he said and went to him to take it away. Scott backed Sundancer up and concentrated on the marble. The first time since he could ever remember, the sphere responded to his command immediately. He was surprised, but kept his concentration to carry out what he had in mind. Fox had seen Scott with the activated orb only once and was fearful. _“Oh God,”_ he thought and stood still. The next second he saw the car doors open. Wylie stepped out in surprise, then Paul and finally Christina, who had to open her door. Paul’s handcuffs popped open and he smiled proudly at Scott, dropping the uncomfortable restraints and went towards him. Now Scott wanted to blow up the tires, but his concentration weakened. The sphere dimmed and then went dark completely. Looking at Scott’s facial expression, everyone could see that he hadn’t planned it that way. Fox came closer again and Scott made the stallion rear and thrash it’s front legs, forcing the agent to back off. Christina was surprised at the young man’s determination to rescue Paul. 

Jenny’s car arrived and Richard parked the vehicle in the middle of the road beside the horse. They got out and went to Scott. He clutched his sphere tightly, dismounted and handed Richard the reins. Without further discussion, he went to his father, but before they met, Fox ran after him and pulled him around, trying to grab the sphere from Scott. The young man resisted and managed to land a punch square to the agent’s face. Christina was behind Paul and held Forrester back, twisting Paul’s arms up behind his back. 

“That’s it! I’ve had it with you,” George roared, holding his nose, then placed himself between Paul and Scott.

“It’s over Fox,“ Scott said. “We’re taking him with us. You don’t stand a chance to prevent it.“ 

“My son is right. From today on, the government has no more hold on him,“ Jenny agreed.

“Mrs. Hayden, be reasonable. You have no choice in the matter,” George said, momentarily brushing aside the fact that Scott was just as capable of using the sphere as well as Paul. 

“Where do you think you can go?“ Christina asked the other woman. “You won’t get far. We’ll start an immediate search.“ 

“We’re willing to risk it,” Jenny countered with defiance. “C’mon Paul. Let’s go. It’ over.“ 

“Yes, come on Dad. Don’t be frightened. They won’t hurt you. You’re much too valuable to them.“ 

Paul hesitated. He was torn inside, but he had to decide. Now was the time. Scott had shown Fox with his action that he was just as capable of using the sphere as he was, and because of that, he had possibly thrown his freedom away. Fox would cancel the deal. Paul knew Fox carried a gun, as did the others, but he gambled that his son was right. George wouldn’t use it on him, just as he couldn’t use it on him when he and Scott escaped from Peagrum. Carefully, Paul moved and stripped off Christina’s grasp. He went to his son past Fox. 

“You are going anywhere, Forrester!” Fox said, and pulled his pistol out, pointing it at the extraterrestrial. Paul stopped and looked at the agent with sadness. 

“Stay where you are, or I’ll shoot,” George threatened. 

Richard, Jenny and Ben held their breaths.

“You weren’t able to shoot me eighteen years ago, and you can’t now either. Let me go with them, George Fox. If you truly can’t stand that, then shoot me. I don’t care. I won’t go back.“ 

Both looked in each other’s eyes for long seconds and searched each other’s faces for a clue to what they would do. After endless seconds, Paul turned and took Scott by the shoulder. Scott was almost paralyzed by fear. Forrester went to where Jenny and Richard stood. Fox had his gun aimed at Paul, but his hands were trembling so badly, he couldn’t fire and be accurate. He couldn’t chance killing Forrester by mistake. “I said stop!”

Paul had heard it all before. He had fear, terrible fear, but he kept going. There was no turning back now. 

Christina saw George’s internal struggle. She saw he couldn’t do what his duty required him to do, so she took the initiative and pulled her gun, cocked and aimed it at Paul’s legs. 

“Paul, stop!” she warned him. Nobody was ever killed by a shot in the knee, but it would have shown him once for all, that they would not let him get away with this. 

“Christina, don’t!” Ben yelled behind her.

Only fifteen feet separated Forrester from the agents when he heard the change of situation and turned around. Everything next happened so fast. Scott saw the woman had her gun aimed at his father and instinctively stepped in front of his dad to protect him. George couldn’t risk Christina carrying out what she planned and pushed her gun away. At the same time, Ben yelled, “Watch out!“ 

The pistol went off. Jenny cried, “No!” but it was too late. The impact hurled Scott to his father, who caught his son in his arms. 

“Scott!“ Jenny cried and rushed immediately to his side. 

“Christina,“ Ben said, shocked. “What have you done?“ 

Fox could not believe what happened either. Paul paid no attention to the action around him, but he was shocked as well. He never thought Christina would really pull the trigger. How could he be so wrong about her? They had spent so many years together. She was his friend, or so he thought. He felt his son dropping to his knees. Scott looked at him, searching for help. His breathing was coming in shallow breaths. The bullet had struck him in his right shoulder, just under the collarbone.

“Dad, I think I’m hit,“ he said weakly, before Paul lowered him to the ground. Everyone rushed to the scene. They saw blood gushing out with each beat of Scott’s heart. The stain was rapidly growing larger. 

“Scottie!” Jenny screamed. She took her shaking hands and held onto her son’s arm. Forrester looked up a moment at Fox and Christina with anger and tears in his eyes, then picked up his son’s sphere, which he’d dropped from his hand. Once more Fox became fearful. Forrester looked at him, daring either one of the agents to stop him from doing what he had to do.

“Can you save him?” George finally asked. He fought in this moment against his biggest fears he had of the extraterrestrial, but due to the tragic situation he had to allow him to use his powers to save his son. Christina knelt down beside Scott, next to Jenny. She was a doctor and knew she had to assist if she could. She opened the shirt and took a look at the injury. She pressed her hand flat against Scott’s shoulder, slowing down the flow of blood from the wound.

“I don’t know, but I must try,” Paul answered absently and proceeded to activate the orb. 

“A major artery has been severed,” the female doctor said and looked at Paul. “I don’t know how that thing works, but you must fix that first or he’ll bleed to death.” 

Scott was aware of what happened, but each passing second the world became dimmer around him. He could feel the pressure to the wound. It hurt and he flinched. In a blur, he felt his dad’s hand on his forehead. The last words he remembered belonged to his father. They were, “I’m going to make you sleep. You’ll feel no more pain. Don’t be afraid. I’ll stay with you.“ The next second he blacked out and his head fell to the side. Paul saw and felt his son’s unconsciousness and he concentrated again on the sphere. A blue light surrounded the wound. First, Christina was afraid of the blue light, which covered her hand too, but she forced herself to keep up the pressure. The light was unusually warm, close to being hot. After a few moments she felt she could reduce the pressure. A while later, the bleeding stopped completely and she removed her hand carefully. 

Paul wanted to go on healing his son, but he couldn’t. Almost no sleep or food contributed to his weakness. Last night he used much of his powers on the blue lights making the ice to save the ranch, then not long ago on Sparky’s rescue. He felt too worn out to complete Scott’s healing. There was so much more to do. Removing the bullet was primary of course. The main nerves down the arm were damaged as well as muscle tissue. If he couldn’t finish the process, then maybe a doctor could, but would Scott’s arm heal completely? He doubted it. Human medicine was still in its infancy compared to the power of the sphere. He wished he had more strength, but he didn’t. The sphere’s light faded. Christina looked at Paul. He looked extremely exhausted, almost like he was in shock. 

“Is it done?”

He shook his head. “No. It will take hours. I don’t have the energy to finish it,” he choked. “And the bullet’s still in there.”

“I’m going to call for an ambulance,” Ben said, and pulled out his cell phone.

Meanwhile, Richard got the first aid kit from Jenny’s car and gave it to Christina. He saw the doctor needed more space to work and he gently forced Jenny to get up and move to the side. He put an arm around her while Christina provided medical care and prepared Scott for the arrival of the ambulance. Paul watched his son with worry all the time.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for this to happen,” Mrs. Wylie apologized sincerely when she looked in Paul’s troubled eyes, but her words fell on deaf ears. 

“Didn’t you?” Jenny accused her angrily. “You had a choice. You could’ve let us go, but no, that’s just not acceptable to you people. You think you have to keep him at all cost,” she growled and looked at the woman and Fox with fury in her eyes. “Was this worth it?”

Christina felt the guilt flood over her. She had sworn the Hippocratic oath to do no harm upon becoming a doctor, and because she was afraid of losing Paul, she accidentally hurt the son. She, who Paul trusted, had nearly killed this young man. 

“I’m sorry,” she repeated. “Really, I am.”

“Are you sorry enough to let him go?” Jenny asked again and waited for her answer. Neither George or Christina gave her one, but instead Fox took charge again. 

“All right, that’s it then. The ambulance will be here soon,” Fox said, “Give me that sphere, Forrester,” he demanded and held out his hand for it. 

“No, Paul. Don’t,” Jenny cried. “Come with me. We’ll run from them. We’ll take Scott with us and find a doctor for him.”

He looked at the woman he loved with heaviness in his heart and told her, “No. It’s over, Jenny. Don’t you see? It’s too dangerous now. They almost killed our son. We can’t run.” He looked at Fox and asked him, “Just promise me you won’t take Scott, even though you’ve seen that he can use this as well as I can,” he said and showed him the silver ball.

“I’m not pleased with what he did, but I’ll keep the agreement as long as I’m in charge,” George assured him. “I don’t know about what will happen later. I’m sorry Scott got hurt.”

For the moment, nothing remained for Paul but to trust Fox. He was simply too tired, too shocked and too despaired to run. He dropped Scott’s sphere into Fox’s hand. 

Jenny started to cry. “No! Why Paul? Why did you give it back?” she asked angrily. “You’ve just ruined everything. Now they’ll take you back.”

Richard and Ben were disappointed too.

“Do you think I want to go back?” he replied, annoyed that she still didn’t understand the danger. “I don’t. I hate the thought of spending the rest of my life there, but face it, we’ve lost.”

Scott was still unconscious. “I’m sorry this happened to you,” Paul said to him and bent down to give his son a kiss on his forehead. They heard the sound of the ambulance siren in the distance. “Good-bye, Scott,” he said and wiped a fallen tear from his face.

The paramedics loaded Scott in and Jenny told them she’d ride with them. Paul stood facing her. 

“You’re still angry for what I did.”

She knew the paramedics were only waiting for her to get in. “You made your choice. Go.”

He tried one more time to reason with her and explain his decision to surrender. “Jenny. Please try to understand. You saw how desperate they are to keep me. They shot at me. It should be me on that stretcher, not Scott. If we’d have run, the next time they caught up with us, they could kill us. I couldn’t bear it if they killed you.” 

“At least we would have died trying to win our freedom. Our son was right,” she said softly. “Our plan never had a chance. They’ve browbeaten you into submission for so long, you’ve lost the courage to fight back. I must go now. Scott needs me.” She turned, and without saying good-bye to him, as she did so many times before, ran to the ambulance and climbed in. The doors closed and the ambulance started to drive away.

“Jenny!” Paul cried, but it was too late. 

“Okay. Let’s go, Forrester. It’s over,” Fox ordered and pushed Paul towards the agent’s car. Richard opened the door of Jenny’s car. Sparky jumped out and climbed on Paul’s legs.

“I’m sorry, I can’t take you with me. Richard will take good care of you until Jenny is back,” he said to the dog. 

After he parked the Subaru to the side, the rancher came back to them, leading Sundancer by the reins. Meanwhile, George had handcuffed his prisoner again.

“Is there anything I can do for you, Paul?” he asked with sadness in his voice and on his face. 

“Take care of them for me.”

“Of course. That goes without asking. Is there anything else I can do to help you?”

He sadly shook his head and lowered his eyes. “No.”

“Will I see you again?”

Forrester looked at the agent.

“The visiting agreement is still being worked out, but if you want to see him, I’ll grant you permission.” 

Mr. Hayward nodded. “Thank you.”

Fox opened the rear door of his car and Paul got in. He went to the other side to sit beside his prisoner.

Ben volunteered to drive the car to Nevada. His wife was too shaken to drive. Christina had tried to wipe the blood off her hands with a handkerchief, but some stains still remained. She silently wept and didn’t want to look or talk to anyone. She was busy with herself, thinking about the question the young man’s s mother asked her moments ago, “Was this worth it?” 

They headed off. No one had any words to say. It was going to be a very long trip home.

To be continued.


End file.
